## **Annual Report for 2025**
In 2025 the church has continued to grow in terms of numbers and depth of faith with a great sense of God’s presence. We’ve had up to 40 people attending on a Sunday and welcomed new members, many of whom are now lending their support. Many more people come through and use the church throughout the week.
There has been a wonderful atmosphere in church services and at all the other events and activities — one of joy and hope, friendliness and warmth.
We are so grateful to all those who have helped with the smooth running of the church in term of stewarding, teas and coffees, flowers, cleaning and clearing, worship, A/V and volunteering at different activities.
## **Children’s Church**
Sycamore Chapel Children’s Church continues to go well and is well organized and run by a wonderful team of children’s workers — on a Sunday they have had great fun acting out bible stories, doing bible related arts and crafts, looking at themes with up to 12 attending.
## **Youth Club**
Run every Monday during term time which is now being led by Penny and Dan Goodwin — anything up to 20 unchurched children age 7-11 years attend with basketball/football, arts and crafts and food activity from pizza to donut making and cake decorating and other activities. Great relationships are being built with significant faith related conversations.
## **Coffee Morning**
Coffee Morning is going well and people enjoy themselves with great welcome and refreshments and we have some new people.
## **Little Seedlings (Baby and Toddler Group)**
Continues to be very popular — families come from Northway, Ashchurch, Mitton and Priors Park and other local places as well and sometimes we have over 20 children attending. Grant applications were successfully made for new equipment and toys.
## **AV System**
New system going very well and we have new helpers on the desk now.
## **Other Events/Activities**
Family Fun event at Christmas was run and was a great success and very popular – thanks to the team.
A new Alpha course was started at the end of the year with people coming to faith and growing in relationship with God attended by up to 9 people.
Prayer meetings on Monday evenings have been very powerful times of worship, prayer, and fellowship and that he generally went away feeling very uplifted.
The stewarding team has done a great job, and the welcome has been amazing.
There’s also been some great socials and the sense of family is growing. A huge thanks to the leading preaching team we have here who give so much time and energy to ensuring we are well fed. Also, to those who help lead the sung worship — has been such a blessing.
Nothing to report on health and safety, Elizabeth Browne has been doing a great job of being our safeguarding officer and ensuring all DBS checks are in place and up to date.
So much to be grateful for, God has been and is doing lots. Thanks to Him and to everyone for all they’ve done.
## **Finances**
The accounts were signed off by our auditors again this year. Income increased to £74,907 and so has Expenditure to £76,670 so we saw a slight reduction in the bank balance.
In summary income has gone up by about £17,500 and expenditure by about £18,700 and we had a reduction in the surplus by £1,763.
Dan Browne
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Trust Property Held in Connection with Sycamore 280833
Chapel (Independent Evangical Church)
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period Period start date Period end date
To
from 01/01/2025 31/12/2025
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted
Endowment funds Total funds Last year
funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations 42,514 - - 42,514 58,310
Legacy - - - -
Other income - Gift Aid 11,552 - - 11,552 6,663
Standard Earned Income - - - - -
Collections 5,899 - - 5,899 9,682
- - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - 59,965 74,655
Sub total (Gross income for AR) [ 59,965 ]
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
Investment income - - - - 252
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - 252
Total receipts 59,965 - - 59,965 74,907
A3 Payments
Support Costs - Heat, Light and Power 4,654 - - 4,654 2,661
Support Costs - Printing and Stationery 308 - - 308 258
Support Costs - Telephone and Computer
1,031 - - 1,031 1,516
Support Costs - Maintenance 1,679 - - 1,679 14,491
Support Costs - General Expenses 13,812 - - 13,812 11,220
Management & Admin - Bank Charges 117 - - 117 69
Management & Admin - Gross Wages 39,981 - - 39,981 46,455
Charitable Giving - - - - -
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ 61,581 ] - - 61,581 76,670
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 61,581 - - 61,581 76,670
Net of receipts/(payments) - 1,616 - - - 1,616 - 1,763
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 4,980 - - 4,980 6,743
Cash funds this year end 3,364 - - 3,364 4,980
**----- End of picture text -----**
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
06/05/2026
1
## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf
of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B1 Cash funds**|
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**
Bank Current account
Barclays current account
**Details**
Signature|**Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**2,920**
**-**
**444**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**3,364**
**-**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which asset**
**belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which asset**
**belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which liability**
**relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**-**|
||||OK|
||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**When due**
**(optional)**
Date of
approval|
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
06/05/2026
2
To the Trustees of Trust Property Held in Connection wilh Sycamore Chapel
(Independent Evangelical Church) (Charity)
I report on the attached accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2025.
Respective responsibilities of Irustees and examiner
The Charity's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the account5. Th8 Charity's
Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under sectlDn 144{2) of the
Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
11 is my responsibility lo:
examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act.,
follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by thB Charity
Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the 2011 Act,. and to
slate whether particular matters have come lo my attention.
Basls of independent examiner's report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the
Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the
Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes
consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations
from you as Iruslees concerning any such mallers. The procedures undertaken do not
provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is
given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view, and the report is limited to
those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
In connecliDn with my examination, no matter has corne lo my attention:
{1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respecl th8
requirements-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act,. and
to prepare accounts which accord with Ihe accounting records 8nd comply with the
accounting requirements of the 2011 Act
have rbot been met- or
121 lo which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper
understanding of the accotAnts to be reached.
Signature
ROGER FRANK DOWNES FCA
for & on behalf of BK Plus Limited, Chartered Certified Accountants
Date
Professional deBignation(sl
Address.. 6 Manor Park Business Cenlre, Mackenzie Way, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire,
GL519TX