**REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 239590**
**Report of the Trustees and**
## **Unaudited Financial Statements**
## **for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **for**
**First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
Lanham and Company Limited Chartered Accountants
9 Great Chesterford Court London Road Great Chesterford Essex CB10 1PF
**First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
|||**Page**||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Report of the Trustees**|1|to|4|
|**Independent Examiner's Report**||5||
|**Statement of Financial Activities**||6||
|**Balance Sheet**||7||
|**Notes to the Financial Statements**|8|to|13|
## **First Church of Christ, Scientist**
## **Cambridge**
## **Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY**
It is stated on the title page of the By-Laws of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Cambridge, that:
"Its object is to maintain and spread the Truth as set forth in the Bible, and interpreted in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science." The missionary work and pastoral care implicit in the above statement are for the benefit of the public, and are manifested in our church activities. In carrying out these activities we do our best to maintain Christian standards of integrity and brotherly love.
The worldwide Christian Science Church, of which the Cambridge Church is a Branch, is "designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master [Christ Jesus], which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing." (Church Manual, page 17).
## **ACTIVITY OF THE CHARITY**
Since passing Mrs S M Barker the Church was left without the second reader and unfortunately has to stop running the services.
Our Sunday School also closed its doors in early 2024.
The Church maintains a public Reading Room at 96 Regent Street Cambridge which currently opens once a week for enquiries and the sale or study of the Bible, authorized Christian Science literature and related materials. Visitors can borrow books and CDs, use the Reference Library, and use the Reading Room computer to explore www.christianscience.com and other Christian Science websites. The Reading Room also has a quiet area for visitors to study and pray, and the duty assistant welcomes enquiries about Christian Science.
Although members and friends are now able to meet at the reading Room, business meetings continue to be held on Zoom.
Our Church activities are open to everyone and all who wish to share in them are warmly welcomed. Currently the Reading Room remains open to the public to attend zoom prayer session on Sundays between 11:00-12:00 Every one welcome to attend them
## **PUBLIC BENEFIT**
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission in determining the activities undertaken by the Charity. This Report of the Trustees demonstrates our Church's provision of public benefit.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **Going concern**
The trustees have reviewed the charity's financial position and are confident that it remains solvent and able to meet all liabilities before closure. The financial statements have therefore been prepared on the basis that the charity is in the process of winding up.
Page 1
## **First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **FUTURE PLANS**
During the year, the trustees reviewed the charity's work and future direction. After careful consideration, we decided that the charity should close, as the number of followers and readers has continued to decline and it is no longer possible to achieve our aims effectively.
The charity is now in the process of winding up. The closure will be completed once the charity's building has been sold and all outstanding matters have been settled. The trustees are committed to ensuring that this process is carried out properly and in accordance with charity law and our governing document. Any remaining funds after closure costs will be applied to charitable purposes consistent with the charity's objectives.
The Trustees have decided to distribute the funds, including "Restricted" funds equally between
11th Church London 1st Church Newcastle upon Tyne The Christian Science Trust
The Trustees have also notified the Charities Commission on its intention to wind up and distribute the funds, as per above on 20 June 2025.
## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The trustees would like to thank everyone who has supported the charity over the years - including our readers, donors, and volunteers. Your contributions have been greatly valued. While this decision marks the end of the charity's work, it has been taken with care and responsibility to ensure that all remaining assets are used for proper charitable purposes.
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT GOVERNING DOCUMENTS**
The governing documents of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Cambridge, are its By-Laws and the Manual of The Mother Church by Mary Baker Eddy. Article 1 of the By-Laws states: "The control of the Church is vested in the members. An Executive Board shall transact the business of the Church."
## **CHARITY TRUSTEES**
The members of the Executive Board are also the Charity Trustees of the Church. The members of the Board and Charity Trustees for the year under review were: Mrs S M Barker, Ms Galen Goldsmith, Mrs Aileen Hewett and Mrs Judith Gordon
Mrs Judith Gordon did receive remuneration for manning the Reading Room
## **STRUCTURE**
The organisational structure of this charity, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Cambridge, is set out in the Church By-Laws.
## **ELECTION**
The Executive Board is elected annually and these members are continuing to serve: Mrs S M Barker (deceased Feb 2024), Ms G Goldsmith, Mrs Judith Gordon and Mrs A Hewett.
## CORRESPONDENT AND TREASURER
Mrs Hewett is correspondent for the Charity Trustees and Clerk to the Executive Board. Treasurer duties are shared between Mr Arman Baroyan and Mrs S M Barker/Mrs Judith Gordon.
A financial report has been submitted to the Board of Charity Trustees each month in accordance with the Church By-Laws (Article 2, Section 5). Cheques and online payments require two signatures, being any two of Mr Baroyan, the Treasurer, the Clerk, and other Board members.
## HOLDING TRUSTEES
The Holding Trustees (Church By-Laws, Article 7) are: Mrs S M Barker, Mrs Hewett, Mrs J Gordon and Ms Goldsmith. The method of election of Holding Trustees is in accordance with the Church By-Laws, Article 7, Section 2.
Page 2
**First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT CHARITY AS PART OF A WIDER NETWORK**
The Church is a Branch of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. The governing document of The Mother Church is the Church Manual by Mary Baker Eddy. Each Branch Church follows the Rules and By-Laws in the Church Manual as applicable to Branches, and within this framework establishes its own By-Laws. The Church Manual states, in the first section of Article XXIII, page 70:
**Local Self-government.** SECTION 1. "The Mother Church of Christ, Scientist, shall assume no general official control of other churches, and it shall be controlled by none other. Each Church of Christ, Scientist, shall have its own form of government."
The Church Manual further states, in Section 10 of Article XXIII, page 74:
"In Christian Science each branch church shall be distinctly democratic in its government, and no individual, and no other church shall interfere with its affairs."
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number**
239590
## **Principal address**
58 Panton Street Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB2 1HS
## **Trustees**
Mrs S M Barker (deceased 19.2.24) Mrs A Hewett Ms G L Goldsmith Mrs J M Gordon (appointed 20.2.24)
## **Independent Examiner**
Lanham and Company Limited Chartered Accountants 9 Great Chesterford Court London Road Great Chesterford Essex CB10 1PF
## **Solicitors**
Astons' Legal Chequers House 77-81 Newmarket Road Cambridge CB5 8EU
## **Bankers**
Lloyds Bank 3 Sidney Street Cambridge CB2 3BU
Page 3
**First Church of Christ, Scientist**
**Cambridge**
## **Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Other Addresses**
Christian Science Reading Room 96 Regent Street Cambridge CB2 1DP
## Email
cscambridgeuk@btconnect.com
## Websites
www.christianscience-cambridge.org.uk www.colc.co.uk/page/christsci.html
## **SUMMARY**
The furtherance of the Church's objects and activities relies on the shared support, insight and enthusiasm of its members. Our aim, as a Board of Charity Trustees, is to support and co-operate with the other members in enabling and undertaking the activities of the Church. We meet regularly to transact the business of the Church in an appropriate and prudent manner. In this we are enjoined by Mary Baker Eddy to uphold standards of "wisdom, economy, and brotherly love." (Church Manual, page 77).
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES**
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law, the trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law).
Under charity law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 and The Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 20 October 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
Mrs A Hewett - Trustee
Page 4
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge (the Trust) for the year ended 31 December 2024.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the Trust 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 Trust's accounts carried out under Section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all 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:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by Section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. 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 in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Emphasis of Matter - Basis of Preparation**
I draw attention to the accounting policies note in the financial statements, which explains that the accounts have not been prepared on a going concern basis. The trustees have taken the decision to wind up the charity and the accounts have been prepared accordingly. My examination did not identify anything that gives me cause to believe that this basis is inappropriate.
Andrew Ireland FCCA
Lanham and Company Limited Chartered Accountants 9 Great Chesterford Court London Road Great Chesterford Essex CB10 1PF
20 October 2025
Page 5
## **First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
|Unrestricted
fund
Notes
£
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**
Donations and legacies
-
Other trading activities
2
10,207
Investment income
3
18,564
**Total**
28,771
**EXPENDITURE ON**
Raising funds
24,026
**Charitable activities**
Church
3,616
**Total**
27,642
Net gains on investments
83,557
**NET INCOME**
84,686
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Total funds brought forward
786,163
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**
870,849|Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12,017
12,017|31.12.24
31.12.23
Total
Total
funds
funds
£
£
-
3,634
10,207
10,385
18,564
17,422
28,771
31,441
24,026
28,614
3,616
1,317
27,642
29,931
83,557
50,295
84,686
51,805
798,180
746,375
882,866
798,180|31.12.24
31.12.23
Total
Total
funds
funds
£
£
-
3,634
10,207
10,385
18,564
17,422
28,771
31,441
24,026
28,614
3,616
1,317
27,642
29,931
83,557
50,295
84,686
51,805
798,180
746,375
882,866
798,180|
|---|---|---|---|
||||31,441|
||||28,614
1,317|
||||29,931|
||||50,295|
||||51,805
746,375|
||||798,180|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 6
## **First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Balance Sheet 31 December 2024**
|Notes
**FIXED ASSETS**
Investments
6
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Cash at bank
**CREDITORS**
Amounts falling due within one year
7
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT**
**LIABILITIES**
**NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
8
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Unrestricted
fund
£
869,826
1,023
-
1,023
870,849
870,849|Restricted
funds
£
-
12,017
-
12,017
12,017
12,017|31.12.24
Total
funds
£
869,826
13,040
-
13,040
882,866
882,866
870,849
12,017
882,866|31.12.23
Total
funds
£
786,269
12,411
(500)
11,911
798,180
798,180
786,163
12,017
798,180|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 20 October 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:
G L Goldsmith - Trustee
A Hewett - Trustee
J M Gordon - Trustee
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 7
**First Church of Christ, Scientist**
**Cambridge**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of preparing the financial statements**
The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities Act 2011 except as set out below.
The financial statements have not been prepared on a going concern basis - the trustees made the decision on 27th January, 2025 to wind down and close the charity on a voluntary basis, because of falling attendance numbers. As the planned closure date is anticipated to be within the next year, the trustees consider it no longer appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis, given this decision has been made. The trustees consider it appropriate to keep stakeholders informed about the planned closure, and the financial statements depart from accounting standards and the Charities SORP (FRS 102), to the extent necessary to give a true and fair view.
In practice, there are no significant changes relating to the planned closure included within the financial statements.
## **Income**
The charity's accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis, all income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has received the income.
## **Expenditure**
The charity's accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis, expenditure is accounted for when payment is made and are classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they are allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## **Taxation**
The Church is a registered charity and as such is not liable to taxation on its activities.
## **Fund accounting**
Resources are allocated to Restricted Funds according to the limitations on their use specified by the donors or other providers. Funds received in the direct operation of the Charity are treated as unrestricted income funds.
Other resources received without external restriction may be designated by the Trustees for particular purposes as deemed appropriate.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
## **Investments**
Investments are included at closing mid-market value at the balance sheet date. Any gains or loss on revaluation is taken on the Statement of Financial Activities.
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash is represented by cash in hand and deposits with financial institutions repayable without penalty on notice of not more than 24 hours. Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments that mature in no more than three months from the date of acquisition and that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash with insignificant risk of change in value.
continued...
Page 8
**First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **2. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES**
|**OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES**|||
|---|---|---|
||31.12.24|31.12.23|
||£|£|
|Room hire|9,792|9,912|
|Reading room income|415|473|
||10,207|10,385|
The independent examiner's remuneration amounts to an independent examination fee of £620 (2023: £600) and a fee for the assistance with the accounts preparation of £622 (2023: £468).
## **3. INVESTMENT INCOME**
|**INVESTMENT INCOME**|||
|---|---|---|
||31.12.24|31.12.23|
||£|£|
|Investment income|18,564|17,422|
## **4. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS**
Trustees' remuneration paid in the year was £1,700 (2023: £nil).
## **Trustees' expenses**
One trustee was reimbursed for expenses paid in the year (2023: nil), totalling £120 (2023: £nil).
## **5. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
|Unrestricted
fund
£
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**
Donations and legacies
3,634
Other trading activities
10,385
Investment income
17,422
**Total**
31,441
**EXPENDITURE ON**
Raising funds
28,614
**Charitable activities**
Church
1,317
**Total**
29,931
Net gains on investments
50,295
**NET INCOME**
51,805
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Total funds brought forward
734,358|Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12,017|Total
funds
£
3,634
10,385
17,422|
|---|---|---|
|||31,441|
|||28,614
1,317|
|||29,931|
|||50,295|
|||51,805
746,375|
continued...
Page 9
**First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
|**5.**|**COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued**|**COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued**|**COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued**|**COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued**|**COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued**||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||Unrestricted||Restricted||Total|
|||fund||funds||funds|
||||£|£||£|
||**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**|786,163||12,017||798,180|
|**6.**|**FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS**||||||
|||||||Listed|
|||||||investments|
|||||||£|
||**MARKET VALUE**||||||
||At 1 January 2024|||||786,269|
||Revaluations|||||83,557|
||At 31 December 2024|||||869,826|
||**NET BOOK VALUE**||||||
||At 31 December 2024|||||869,826|
||At 31 December 2023|||||786,269|
||There were no investment assets outside the UK.||||||
|**7.**|**CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**||||||
|||||31.12.24||31.12.23|
|||||£||£|
||Other creditors||||-|500|
|**8.**|**MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**||||||
|||||Net|||
|||||movement||At|
|||At 1.1.24||in funds||31.12.24|
|||£||£||£|
||**Unrestricted funds**||||||
||General fund|786,163||84,686||870,849|
||**Restricted funds**||||||
||Saffron Walden Trust Fund|3,600|||-|3,600|
||Bequest from EM Swann|8,417|||-|8,417|
|||12,017|||-|12,017|
||**TOTAL FUNDS**|798,180||84,686||882,866|
continued...
Page 10
**First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **8. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued**
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
|Incoming
resources
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
28,771
**TOTAL FUNDS**
28,771
**Comparatives for movement in funds**
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**Restricted funds**
Saffron Walden Trust Fund
Bequest from EM Swann
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Resources
expended
£
(27,642)
(27,642)
At 1.1.23
£
734,358
3,600
8,417
12,017
746,375|Gains and
Movement
losses
in funds
£
£
83,557
84,686
83,557
84,686
Net
movement
At
in funds
31.12.23
£
£
51,805
786,163
-
3,600
-
8,417
-
12,017
51,805
798,180|
|---|---|---|
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
||Incoming|Resources|Gains and|Movement|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||resources|expended|losses|in funds|
||£|£|£|£|
|**Unrestricted funds**|||||
|General fund|31,441|(29,931)|50,295|51,805|
|**TOTAL FUNDS**|31,441|(29,931)|50,295|51,805|
continued...
Page 11
**First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **8. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued**
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:
|**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**Restricted funds**
Saffron Walden Trust Fund
Bequest from EM Swann
**TOTAL FUNDS**|At 1.1.23
£
734,358
3,600
8,417
12,017
746,375|Net
movement
in funds
£
136,491
-
-
-
136,491|At
31.12.24
£
870,849
3,600
8,417|
|---|---|---|---|
||||12,017|
||||882,866|
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
||Incoming|Resources|Gains and|Movement|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||resources|expended|losses|in funds|
||£|£|£|£|
|**Unrestricted funds**|||||
|General fund|60,212|(57,573)|133,852|136,491|
|**TOTAL FUNDS**|60,212|(57,573)|133,852|136,491|
## Saffron Walden Trust Fund
To restrict the principal in accordance with the wishes of the donors; to apply the interest for the furtherance of the work of the Christian Science Church in Cambridge.
The assets of the Saffron Walden Trust Fund form part of the Lloyds Deposit account balance.
## Bequest from E M Swann
This former member left a bequest of £8,617 to the Church. While a particular purpose for the gift wasn't specified, the members voted to restrict the money pending a decision on an appropriate use of the money in memory of E M Swann.
## **9. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES**
There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 December 2024.
continued...
Page 12
**First Church of Christ, Scientist Cambridge**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **10. LAND AND BUILDINGS**
The charity owns a building in Panton Street, Cambridge which it is currently the subject of negotiations with a third party with a view to achieving a private sale. The current value is uncertain however due to the unusual nature of the building and hence no value has been included on the balance sheet.
Page 13