2025-03-31-accounts - River Collective

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RIVER COLLECTIVE Aecounts- 31" March 2025

RIVER COLLECTIVE

Charity number: 1209128

Accounts – 31[ST] March 2025

INDEX

1-3. Report of the Trustees and General Information 4. Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees
Statement of Financial Activities 6. Balance Sheet 7-11. Notes to the Accounts

RIVER COLLECTIVE

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the period ended 31[st] March 2025

The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report and financial statements of the charity for the period ended 31[st] March 2025.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the Charities governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (second edition) and Financial Reporting Standard FRS102.

The River Collective CIO was registered on 15[th] July 2024 as River Collective (charity number 1209128). The River Collective CIO was established to receive by transfer the operations and assets of its immediate predecessor, Community Church Northampton Trust. The operations and assets were transferred to the CIO on 1[st] October 2024.

Reference and Administration Details

The charity’s name is River Collective.

Charity Registration Number: 1209128

Registered Address: 5 Clock Tower Northampton NN3 8YP

Trustees

The Trustees and officers who served during the year and since the year end were as follows:

M Norridge E Rawlins C Case E Levesley S Gill I Walker (appointed 21[st] January 2025)

Objectives and Activities

The main objects of the charity are:

a) The advancement of the Christian faith.
b) Relief of persons who are in need, hardship or distress.
c) The advancement of education on the basis of Christian principles.

Achievements and Performance

When planning the activities for the year the trustees considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion.

This year we have continued the development of the vision of River Collective and determined this as a movement of churches, Joining with God to see Lives Transformed and Regions renewed. We are encouraged by the continued expression of this vision through our churches in Wellingborough and Northampton. Here are some key highlights:

On the 9th February 2025 we held a 1[st] year birthday celebration for River Collective where we were able to celebrate all that has happened over the 12 months for the new church pant and for River Collective as a whole. We heard stories of lives transformed, and of a community being built.
We held equipping evenings to help Collective members engage with key cultural issues and life challenges.

RIVER COLLECTIVE

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the period ended 31[st] March 2025 ( Continued)

Achievements and Performance (continued)

We have run the “Communitas Experience”; a week of challenges for men that includes deliberate disruption of routine, sharing of experiences and physical challenges.
We are involved “Loving Northampton”, working with churches to connect and mobilise Christians across Northampton to bless the town we live in.
We are involved in the “Synergy Churches” network, providing leadership roles in various ways to help equip churches across the UK.
We continued our support for our members in Nepal (for whom we are their “sending church”), working with the mountain peoples. We are encouraged by the development of their work, and are pleased to support them both financially, pastorally and strategically.
We have begun partnering with an initiative in Nigeria that runs a football team for young people, and that also provides them with holistic support. We are pleased to have been given an opportunity to sponsor their football team.

Key expenditure throughout the year has been for general setup costs of the charity and required physical equipment costs. We have been delighted with the increases in overall financial support from Collective members that was experienced as the year progressed, and that we received from other supportive organisations. Despite committing to healthy levels of spending on charitable activities throughout the year (for which the trustees had agreed some of the charity reserves should be used), the level of giving means we have actually increased our reserves in the period. The trustees look forward to further using these funds to deliver the vision of River Collective in future years. In particular we are working towards the employment of key individuals to Collective and local church leadership roles.

We are excited by the increasing number of people connected with our church communities, and all that God is doing in and through us as River Collective.

Our pattern of physical meetings has been gathering the whole Collective together on the first Sunday of every month, with individual churches meeting separately on the intervening Sundays. These individual church meetings would typically be in members’ homes or hired public venues. Other activities are undertaken across the Collective to equip and encourage church members and those the Collective is reaching out to. This pattern of physical meetings has been established as an outworking of our developed vision.

We are excited by our establishment and the developments achieved over this year, and believe we are now well positioned to continue to grow and further impact our communities in coming years. Furthermore, we consider that our current financial position puts us in a good position to achieve this aim.

Financial Review

The total income for the period was £53,797 and total expenditure on charitable activities amounted to £34,810.

Reserves Policy

The trustees have examined the charity’s requirements for reserves taking account of the main risks to the organisation. They have established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds (not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets) held by the charity should be between 3 and 6 months of projected expenditure. The trustees consider that this should be between £12,500 and £25,000 in general funds. The reserves are needed to meet the working capital requirements of the charity and the trustees are confident that at this level they would be able to continue the current activities of the charity in the event of a significant drop in funding.

RIVER COLLECTIVE

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the period ended 31[st] March 2025 ( Continued)

Reserves Policy (continued)

The reserves continue to be in excess of this level. The trustees consider this to be acceptable given:

the wider economic climate
the desire to be able to react quickly to any unforeseen events and new opportunities
the intention to run a deficit budget to further progress our charitable objectives as outlined above.

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

The River Collective CIO was registered on 15[th] July 2024. It was established to take over the charitable objectives, operations and assets of the Community Church Northampton Trust, a registered charity formed under a Deed of Trust dated 2[nd] October 1998.

This report was approved by the trustees on 6th October 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

M Norridge

…………………………………..

Trustee

Northampton

RIVER COLLECTIVE

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Community Church Northampton Trust for the period ended 31[st] March 2025.

Responsibilities and Basis of Report

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 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 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:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

A P Williams FCCA CTA A J Carter & Co Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

22b High Street Witney Oxon OX28 6RB

9th October 2025

RIVER COLLECTIVE

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

(including an income and expenditure account)

for the period ended 31[st] March 2025

Note Income from: Donations and legacies 3 Investments 4 Other revenue Total incoming resources Expenditure on: Charitable activities 5 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) and net movement in funds for the year Transfer between funds Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2025 £ £ £ 52,993 - 52,993 4 - 4 800 - 800 53,797 - 53,797 34,810 - 34,810 34,810 - 34,810 18,987 - 18,987 - - - 18,987 - 18,987 47,292 - 47,292 £66,279 £- £66,279	Total Funds 2024 £ 89,836 870 1,000
		91,706
		83,358
		83,358
		8,348 -
		8,348 38,944
		£47,292

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 7 to 11 form part of these financial statements

RIVER COLLECTIVE

BALANCE SHEET as at 31[st] March 2025

Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 10 Total fixed assets Current assets Debtors 11 Cash at bank and in hand Total current assets Liabilities Creditors falling due within one year 12 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Total net assets 13 The funds of the Charity Restricted income funds Unrestricted income funds 14 Total charity funds	2025 £ - - 2,320 69,827 72,147 5,868 66,279 66,279 £66,279 - 66,279 £66,279	2024 £ -
		-
		540 48,580
		49,120 1,828
		47,292
		47,292
		£47,292
		- 47,292
		£47,292

These accounts were approved by the trustees and authorised for issue on: 6th October 2025 and are signed on their behalf by:

M Norridge ...................................................... Trustee

The notes on pages 7 to 11 form part of these financial statements

RIVER COLLECTIVE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

for the period ended 31[st] March 2025

1. Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

a) Basis of Preparation

The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the second edition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) and the Charities Act 2011.

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

b) Public Benefit Entity

River Collective meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

c) Going Concern

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern

d) Income Recognition Policies

Items of income are recognised and included in the accounts when all of the following criteria are met:

  - The charity has entitlement to the funds;

  - any performance conditions attached to the items of income have been met or are fully within the control of the charity;

  - there is sufficient certainty that receipt of the income is considered probable; and

  - the amount can be measured reliably.

e) Interest Receivable Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
f) Fund Accounting
Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the Charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the Charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for the particular areas of the Charity’s work or for specific projects being undertaken by the Charity.
g) Expenditure and Irrecoverable VAT Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

RIVER COLLECTIVE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

for the period ended 31[st] March 2025 (continued)

h)

Tangible Fixed Assets

Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on the straight line basis as follows:

Asset Annual Category Rate Equipment 25% per annum

i) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amounts due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid after taking account of any trade discounts due.

j) Cash at Bank and in Hand Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
k) Creditors and Provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

2. Legal Status of the Charity

3. Income from donations

Offerings and donations Gift Aid tax refunds	Unrestricted Restricted 2025 Funds Funds £ 44,897 - 44,897 8,096 - 8,096 £52,993 £-£52,993	2024 £ 79,005 10,831 £89,836

4. Income from investments

Interest	2025 £ 4 £4	2024 £ 870
		£870

RIVER COLLECTIVE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

for the period ended 31[st] March 2025 (continued)

5. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Ministry support Gifts to other charitable organisations (general) General giving Church activities and ministry Hall hire Conferences and training Insurance Equipment, printing, stationery and postage Miscellaneous administrative costs Legal and professional costs Subscriptions Accountancy and Independent Examination Total	Unrestricted Restricted 2025 Funds Funds Total £ 17,072 - 17,072 3,180 - 3,180 950 - 950 4,732 - 4,732 3,532 - 3,532 3,090 - 3,090 584 - 584 91 - 91 570 - 570 409 - 409 - - 600 - 600 £34,810 £-£34,810	2024 Total £ 28,043 5,116 28,044 6,910 2,685 2,772 518 4,815 895 1,614 626 1,320 £83,358

6. Net income/(expenditure) for the year

This is stated after charging: Accountancy services	2025 £ 600	2024 £ 1,320

7. Analysis of staff costs and trustee fees

During the period the following amount was paid to one of the Trustees for ministry support: this is permitted by the Trust Deed.

M Norridge	2025 £ 17,072 £17,072	2024 £ 28,043
		£28,043

8. Related party transactions

During the period under review trustees and close relatives made unrestricted donations totalling £24,413 (2024: £24,051) and restricted donations totalling £nil (2024: £15,453).

9. Corporation tax

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.

RIVER COLLECTIVE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

for the period ended 31st March 2025 (continued)

10. Tangible fixed assets

Cost: As at 1 October 2024 Additions As at 31 March 2025 Depreciation: As at 1 October 2024 Charge for period As at 31 March 2025 Net book value: As at 31 March 2025 As at 30 September 2024 11.Debtors Gift Aid 12.Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Accruals 13.Analysis of net assets between funds General Fund £ Tangible fixed assets - Cash at bank and in hand 69,827 Other net current assets/(liabilities) (3,548) Total £66,279	IT Equipment £ 476 -	Total £ 1,496 - 1,496 1,496 - 1,496 £- £-
	476
	476 -
	476
	£-
	£-
	Designated Funds £ - - -	2024 £ 540
		£540
		2024 £ 1,828
		£1,828
		Total £ - 69,827 (3,548)
£66,279	£-	£66,279

RIVER COLLECTIVE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

for the period ended 31[st] March (continued)

14. Analysis of charitable funds

Analysis of movements in unrestricted funds

	Balance	Incoming	Resources		Funds
	30.09.2024	resources	expended	Transfers	31.03.2025
	£	£	£	£	£
General fund	47,292	53,797	(34,810)	-	66,279
Total	£47,292	£53,797	£(34,810)	£-	£66,279
Analysis of movements in restricted funds
	Balance	Incoming	Resources		Funds
	30.09.2024	resources	expended	Transfers	31.03.2025
	£	£	£	£	£
Nepal support	-	-	-	-	-
Posture shift	-	-	-	-	-
Total	£-	£-	£-	£-	£-