## GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH
Report and Accounts Year ended... 31 March 2024
## **GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH**
## **LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE 123 Grove Hill South Woodford LONDON E18 2HY Church constitution adopted 28 September 2006 as GOVERNING DOCUMENTS amended 6 July 2008. The church is affiliated to the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches. CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 235525 - Grove Hill Evangelical Church TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Timothy Crispin MANAGING THE CHARITY Andrew Emohare Avon Edward (from 18 June 2023) Derek Fieldhouse (from 14 January 2024) Lynda Holmes Martin Hull (until 2 July 2023) Peter Last Peter Parson Peter Sharp (until 31 July 2024) Matthew Weston (from 1 July 2023) NAMES OF ADVISERS CAF Bank Ltd Edward Connor Solicitors HOLDING TRUSTEE Fellowship Property Trust INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Jaimee Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
## **INDEX**
Page 1 Legal & Administrative Details Pages 2-3 Trustees' Report Page 4 Independent Examiner's Report Page 5 Receipts and Payments Account Page 6 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Pages 7-10 Notes to the Accounts
Page 1
## **GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **Objects of the charity**
The charity, which is a church, is governed by a constitution. The charity's principal objects, as set out in its governing document, are:
1. The advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the basis of faith primarily but not exclusively within South Woodford and the surrounding neighbourhood, and
2. Such other charitable purposes as shall in the opinion of the members of the church in general meeting, further the work of the church.
## **Government**
The policy and operating decisions of the charity rest with the Trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the Trust.
New trustees are appointed following a ballot of Church members.
## **Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements**
The church exists as a body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who are committed to each other in Christian fellowship. We seek to encourage each other in the faith as it is laid out in the Bible and to share the truth about Christ with those around us.
The Church has held services of worship every Sunday, including preaching. On-line streaming has continued to maximise accessibility: The Sunday services are broadcast live via the Church's 'YouTube' channel, accessible to all via the Church website https://www.ghec.co.uk/. The Church has been pleased to welcome newcomers on a regular basis. The congregation reflects the multi-cultural make-up of the neighbourhood.
Throughout the year age related activities for children have continued to be provided. Children's activities span the whole age range: from the ever popular 'Ready Steady Go' sessions for babies, toddlers and their parents/ carers to 'Revolution' working with older teenagers. In between there are the Sunday youth groups, week night clubs and ad-hoc school holiday activities. All these activities are available to Church families and the wider community.
The Church joins with other local Churches to provide outreach events. Grove Hill was pleased to host a Holiday Club. The short course 'Hope Explored' is offered to those interested in finding out more about Christianity.
Key activities are publicised by leafleting local homes, word of mouth and via the website. The website provides a valuable insight into the work of the Church (www.ghec.co.uk). The church is pleased to support missionary work both in the UK and abroad and sets aside 25% of its regular income for this purpose. During 2023-24 the Church, together with several others in the area, continued to support a new Church in the Barkingside and Clayhall area (All Nations).
In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.
Page 2
The leadership team continue to seek to fulfil their responsibilities. The trustees remain very grateful to all involved in the fellowship for the different ways in which they assist the church in fulfilling its calling. 2023-24 saw a change in the Church leadership with the Pastor, Martin Hull, retiring after more than 20 years' service. Trustees would like to formally acknowledge Martin's faithful contribution to the Church and are pleased to welcome Matthew Weston as their new Pastor from July 2023.
## **Financial review**
The trustees prepare the accounts on a Receipts and Payments basis. It is deemed a more appropriate basis having regard to the charity's turnover. This means that the accounts are based on a reconciliation to the bank account and no adjustment has been made for income due; in particular the Gift Aid refund from HMRC is not recognised until the following year.
Overall reserves stand at £99k. These comprise £87k Unrestricted (General £42k and Designated £45k) and £12k Restricted funds. General congregational income remained stable at £75k (a slight reduction in real terms). Property rental income fell by £12k. This was expected because the Manse is now provided to the Pastor as part of his renumeration instead of being let commercially. General Fund expenditure was in line with budget - payroll costs fell due to accommodation being provided to the Pastor and support costs increased due to the legal costs of becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Reserves were deliberately kept at a high level at the previous year end to meet necessary roof and guttering works. This project was successfully completed during the year, resulting in an in year deficit of £35k in the General Fund and year end general reserves falling back to £42k. This is still higher than the trustees' reserves policy, but more premises costs are anticipated in 202425. A restricted donation of £20k was received to renew/ update the Church heating system. During the year the boiler was replaced and the remaining balance of £3k will be used in 2024-25 to repair the Church heaters. The legacy fund of £17k (no restrictions) remains at year end, together with the Preschool Restricted Fund of £8k which is being held pending a decision on its use. .
## **Reserves policy**
The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than £25,000 (which equates to about 3 months of routine unrestricted expenditure) so that the charity could continue to operate should income and / or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of 87k. This includes £28k designated for the Missionary Fund for the following year; the excess funds are held for the purpose of anticipated essential maintenance works as discussed above.
## **Risk statement**
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**
Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.
We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.
We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.
## **Approval**
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Matthew Weston Date: 3/12/2024
Page 3
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Grove Hill Evangelical Church ('the charity') for the year ended 31 March 2024 on pages 6 to 10 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
2. 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.
Jaimee Young
Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
Date: 12 December 2024
Page 4
## **GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|Notes
**_Income receipts_**
Donations and grants
Legacies
Gift aid receipts
Income from charitable activities
Rental Income
Fee Income
Other
**_Total receipts_**
**_Payments_**
2
3
**_Total payments_**
Transfers between funds
7
**Net movement in funds**
Cash funds as at last year end
**Cash funds at this year end**
A
Net
of
receipts
/
(payments)
before
transfers
Grants
paid
in
relation
to
charitable
activities undertaken by others
Payments
in
relation
to
charitable
activities undertaken directly||General
Designated
Funds
Funds
£
£
75,294
3,992
-
-
14,890
675
1,141
613
-
61,949
-
-
2,876
2,523
94,201
69,752
86,301
24,748
4,520
29,817
90,821
54,565
3,380
15,187
38,522
14,849
-
35,142
338
76,813
45,192
41,671
45,530
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
Funds
£
23,055
-
603
-
-
-
-
23,658
103,864
-
103,864
80,206
-
53,371
26,835
-
39,046
12,210|2024
£
102,341
-
16,168
1,754
61,949
-
5,399
187,611
214,913
34,337
249,250
61,639
-
-
61,639
-
161,051
99,412|2023
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||General
Funds
£
75,294
-
14,890
1,141
-
-
2,876
94,201
86,301
4,520
90,821
3,380
38,522
35,142
76,813
41,671||||
||||||106,419
17,172
15,925
399
73,859
-
1,499|
||||||215,273|
||||||111,776
37,464|
||||||149,239|
||-||||66,034
-|
||-||||66,034
95,017|
||||||161,051|
The notes on pages 7 to 10 form part of these accounts.
Page 5
## **GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|Notes
**A Cash funds**
5,6
Cash Float
Cash at bank with immediate access
**B**
**Other monetary assets**
5,6
Gift aid due to charity
Other debtors
**C**
**Liabilities**
**Falling due within one year**
5,6
Loan
Fee for Independent Examination
Accrued expenses
**Falling due after one year:**
Loan
**Total**|General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
-
41,671
45,530
**41,671**
**45,530**
12,688
888
4,041
2,944
**16,729**
**3,832**
-
7,514
1,290
-
926
94
**2,216**
**7,608**
6,216
**-**
**6,216**
2,216
13,824
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
12,211
**12,211**
363
250
**613**
-
-
1,229
**1,229**
**-**
**-**
1,229|2024
£
-
99,412
**99,412**
13,939
7,235
**21,174**
7,514
1,290
2,249
**11,053**
6,216
**6,216**
17,269|2023
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||51
161,000|
|||||**161,051**|
|||||16,103
9,600|
|||||**25,703**|
|||||7,454
1,300
2,233|
|||||**10,987**|
|||||12,494|
|||||**12,494**|
|||||23,481|
The above loan is repayable in monthly instalments and is repayable in full by April 2026. All other liabilities fall due for settlement within one year.
## **D Assets retained for charity's own use**
|Fund to
which asset
belongs
General
Property Trust
Property Trust
Property Trust
Property Trust
The value of the freehold assets owned are:
Church equipment
Church Building (NBV 2016)
30 Byron Avenue (2001)
121 Grove Hill (2001)
62-64 Grove Hill (2001)|Book Value
£
578,000
151,000
92,000
280,000
1,101,000|Insurance
value
£|
|---|---|---|
|||162,310
3,564,419
574,349
272,154
980,812|
|||5,554,044|
The trustees have used insurance values as an approximation for current values
The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
MATTHEW WESTON
Date: 03/12/2024
The notes on pages 7 to 10 form part of these accounts.
Page 6
**GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **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.
|**ents in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly**
Employment costs (see note 4)
Youth and children's work
Outreach activities
Courses and conferences
Maintenance, repairs & equipment
Roof and guttering replacement project
Loan repayments
Utilities
Insurance
Independent examination
Office and support costs
Visiting Speakers
Other costs||General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
39,298
-
223
589
1,806
-
395
-
15,339
7,619
-
-
-
7,493
8,353
3,128
4,742
3,988
1,260
-
12,691
1,931
1,105
-
1,089
-
86,301
24,748
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
Funds
£
3,418
-
-
16,700
76,807
-
-
459
-
6,480
-
-
103,864|Total
2024
£
42,716
812
1,806
395
39,658
76,807
7,493
11,481
9,189
1,260
21,102
1,105
1,089
214,913|Total
2023
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||General
funds
£
39,298
223
1,806
395
15,339
-
-
8,353
4,742
1,260
12,691
1,105
1,089
86,301||||
||||||48,541
923
976
215
19,705
-
7,454
10,387
7,868
1,170
10,569
2,970
1,000|
||||||111,776|
## **2 Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly**
Page 7
## **GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## Unrestricted Funds
|**3**
**Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others**
(All payments were made to UK based individuals/organisations)
Grants for:
For work in the UK
Overseas mission
Relief of poverty
The grants to institutions amounting to more than £1,000 were:
Grace Baptist Mission
Equipping Pastors Worldwide (formerly Pastor Training International)
Eurasian Ministries Mission College
Amor (Europe)
Azores (via Impact Giving)
Christian Education Project
All Nations Church - Clayhall and Barkingside
International Mission to Jewish People(formerly Christian Witness to Israel)|General
funds
£
4,520
-
-
4,520
2024
£
10,424
6,415
-
8,015
-
-
2,400
2,120|Designated
funds
£
3,360
26,457
-
29,817
2023
£
8,485
5,220
3,264
3,264
5,230
2,538
4,875|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-|Total
2024
£
7,880
26,457
-
34,337|Total
2023
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||10,076
26,913
475|
||||||37,464|
|||||||
## **4 Transactions with related parties**
During the year the charity had 1 full time employee. Martin Hull was the Pastor until 2 July 2023; Matthew Weston took over the role on 1 July 2023.
Ministerial costs, as permitted by the governing document, are employment costs in respect of the Pastor, Martin Hull, was paid £14,116 (2023 £46,089) until 2 July 2023 in his capacity of minister of the church and not as a trustee and includes a leaving gift of £3,418 (2023 £0) and a restricted gift of £0 (2023 £5,000). Matthew Weston was paid £22,500 for the period from 1 July 2023 in his capacity of minister of the church and not as a trustee. He lives in the Manse rent free and the Church meets the cost of the council tax for the property.
One of the trustees, Lynda Holmes, is a tenant of one of the Church owned properties. Her tenure is assessed using the rental policy applied to all tenants; her interest is declared at trustee meetings and she does not partake in decisions relating to the properties where she has a pecuniary interest.
One of the trustees, Tim Crispin (Crisp Finish), on occasions undertakes urgent maintenance work at the Church and properties. During 2023-24 this totalled £144 (2023 £1,516).
Page 8
## **GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|**5**
Cash float
Cash at bank with immediate access
A
Cash funds
Gift aid due to charity
Other debtors/ prepayments
B
Other monetary assets
Loans
Accrued expenses/ deferred income
C
Liabilities
**6**
Cash at bank with immediate access
A
Cash funds
Gift aid due to charity
Other debtors/ prepayments
B
Other monetary assets
Accrued expenses
C
Liabilities
**Breakdown of Designated funds - Assets and Liabilities**
**Breakdown of Restricted funds - Assets and Liabilities**|Property
Rental Fund
£
-
-
-
-
2,894
2,894
13,730
-
13,730
All Nations
Church Plant
£
50
**50**
-
**-**
50|Ready
Steady Go
£
-
172
172
-
50
50
-
94
94
Specific
appeals/
donations incl.
Hardship
£
896
**896**
363
250
**613**
9|Legacies
£
-
17,172
17,172
-
-
-
-
-
-
Property
Trust Funds
£
3,300
**3,300**
-
-
**-**
1,170|Missionary
Support Fund
£
-
28,186
28,186
888
-
888
-
-
-
Pre-school
£
7,965
7,965
-
-
**-**|Total
£
-
45,530|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||45,530|
||||||888
2,944|
||||||3,832|
||||||13,730
94|
||||||13,824|
||||||Total
£
12,211|
||||||**12,211**|
||||||363
250|
||||||**613**|
||||||1,229|
||**50**|**9**|**1,170**|**-**|**1,229**|
Page 9
**GROVE HILL EVANGELICAL CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **7 Movement of funds**
|General funds
Designated funds
Property Rental Fund
Ready Steady Go
Legacies
Missionary Support Fund
Restricted funds
Property Trust Fund
All Nations Church Plant
Pre-school
Hardship Fund
Specific appeals/ donations: TEAR Fund, Azores etc.1
Total funds|Balance at
31 March 2023
£|Receipts
£|Payments
£|Transfers
£|Balance at
31 March 2024
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||76,813|94,201|90,821
-|38,522
-|41,671|
||0
148
17,172
27,872
45,192
30,375
275
-
7,965
1,000
19
-
39,046
161,050|61,949
738
-
4,542
67,229
20,000
325
250
3,083
23,658
185,088|24,159
-
714
-
-
27,169
-
52,042
-
100,446
-
-
-
3,418
-
103,864
-
246,727
-|37,790
-
-
-
22,941
14,849
-
53,371
-
-
-
-
53,371
-|0
172
17,172
28,186|
||||||45,530|
||||||3,300
50
7,965
1,250
354
-|
||||||12,211|
||||||99,412|
1 The deficit balance at the year end relates to gift aid to be claimed - see note 6 above
Page 10