Charity Registered Number: 518191
Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2023
Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Contents
| Trustees Report | Pages 3 to 6 |
|---|---|
| Statement of trustees’ responsibilities | Page 7 |
| Independent examiner’s report | Page 8 |
| Statement of receipts and payments for the year | Page 9 |
| Statement of assets and liabilities | Page 10 |
| Notes to the accounts | Pages 11 to 13 |
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Trustees Report
Name, registered office and constitution of the charity
The full name of the charity Milton Free Baptist Church (also known as Milton Baptist Church) Charity registered number 518191 Charity address Meadow Street Milton Stoke-on-Trent ST2 7BP
Objectives and activities of the charity
A summary of the objects of the charity as set out in its governing document
The aims of the Milton Free Baptist Church
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The furtherance and preaching of the Gospel through evangelistic activities.
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The advancement of the Christian Faith through teaching the Bible and its doctrines.
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Holding regular services and other meetings and events for the community.
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Outreach to the whole community including children and young people.
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Conducting a visiting ministry in care homes.
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Supporting missionaries and missionary activity.
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Other such activities as the trustees shall decide to further the objects of Milton Free Baptist Church.
Public benefit that is provided by the charity
The trustees have regard to the Charity Commission guidance on Public Benefit and plan their activities to ensure that they comply with the guidance. Details of how this is achieved are given in the “Summary of the charity’s main activities in relation to its objects”.
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Trustees Report
Summary of the charity’s main activities in relation to its objects
The church continues to serve the local community in a variety of ways. When planning our activities for the year, the Trustees have considered the Commission's guidance on public benefit, particularly the specific guidance to charities on advancing religion.
Our regular worship services use a mixture of both old and contemporary music, encouraging people of all ages to engage in worship and prayer. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. All age services are specifically aimed to be accessible to children and are popular with all ages. During the other morning services, our Children and Young people leave part way through the service for their own groups, with age-related activities to help them understand Christian teaching.
Preaching takes place within our Sunday services on themes determined by the Minister in conjunction with others. The Pastor is the main preacher, but on occasions, other speakers are invited to preach and lead at our services, giving opportunity for the congregation to hear a wider perspective. There is a weekly Bible Study held every Wednesday at the Church.
Every week during school terms, the church hosts Mums and Tots, which attracts up to 15 parents and their children. We also host a "Knitters and Natters" group on a fortnightly basis. This ministry provides a social outlet to elderly women from the Milton area. The goods they produce are sent overseas to Armenia and other needy parts of the world.
Our premises are used, free of charge, by local police officers to enjoy tea breaks and lunch periods. Local PC's and PCSO's are grateful for the opportunity to rest in comfortable surroundings and have use of the church kitchen facilities.
The church continues its ministry among young people from the area and hosts various events for young people. The Church runs a kid’s club for primary school-age children fortnightly, on Fridays. Besides its Sunday School work and regular kid’s clubs, the church also holds an annual Holiday Bible Club for primary-aged children.
The church operates a busy schedule, and its building is in use most days of the week. It continues to see a steady increase in interest and attendance from local people. All aspects of Church life aim to help people grow as Christian Disciples by understanding what it means to be a disciple and promoting opportunities to put faith into action by service to the Church and the local Community.
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Structure, governance and management
Nature of “Governing Document” and constitution of the charity
Milton Free Baptist Church is registered with the Charity Commission. The governing document is the Trust Deed dated 11 June 1986.
The trustees meet on a formal basis as often as they deem necessary to fulfil their obligations and ensure the smooth running of Milton Free Baptist Church.
The methods adopted for the recruitment and appointment of new trustees
The power of appointment and removal of trustees is vested in the members of the Church in accordance with the provisions of the trust deed. All Trustees must be members of the Church and must adhere to the "Basis of Faith".
Financial review
Availability and adequacy of assets of each of the funds
The trustees are satisfied that the charity’s assets in each fund are available and adequate to fulfil the obligations in respect of each fund.
Reserves
It is of paramount importance to the charity that it has the ability to meet its expenses, and accomplish long term expansion and growth to reach its goals.
The policy of the trustees is to maintain the Church's general reserve to a level which would enable its continued operation and support of a pastor for an initial period in the absence of funds.
The trustees monitor and review the appropriateness of reserves to enable the activities of the charity to continue.
Transactions and financial position
The financial statements are set out on pages 9 to 13 . The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis, as set out in The Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. As stated in the introduction to this report, the trustees consider the financial performance by the charity during the year to have been satisfactory.
The Statement of Financial Activities show net outgoing resources for the year of a revenue nature of £2,191 (prior year net incoming resources of £4,064).
The total reserves at the end of the year stand at £12,320 (prior year £14,512). Free unrestricted liquid reserves amounted to £12,320 (prior year £11,670).
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Trustees Report
The trustees of the charity during the year were:
W Campbell K Cowdrey M Humphries
The trustees are all members of the charity.
The trustees of the charity at the date the report and accounts were approved were:
W Campbell K Cowdrey M Humphries
Bankers
Barclays Bank plc
Independent examiner
Paul W J Evans FMAAT ACMA CGMA AP Accountancy Ltd Chartered Management Accountants 34 Birch Valley Road Kidsgrove Stoke-on-Trent, ST7 4GN
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Trustees Report
Statement of trustees’ responsibilities
The Charities Act requires the Board of Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the end of the financial year and of the surplus or deficit of the charity. In preparing those financial statements the Board is required to:-
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
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state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
The trustees are also responsible for maintaining adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with regulations made under the Charities Act. 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.
The trustees are also responsible for the contents of the trustees' report, and the responsibility of the independent examiner in relation to the trustees' report is limited to examining the report and ensuring that, on the face of the report, there are no inconsistencies with the figures disclosed in the financial statements.
This report was approved by the board of trustees on 21 November 2023
K Cowdrey Trustee
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of the charity
Report of the Independent Examiner to the trustees on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. (Rev October 2018)
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 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiners statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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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.
The Examiner's relevant professional qualification or body:
Chartered Management Accountant
Paul W J Evans FMAAT ACMA CGMA AP Accountancy Ltd Chartered Management Accountants 34 Birch Valley Road Kidsgrove Stoke-on-Trent, ST7 4GN
The date on which my opinion is expressed is 22 November 2023
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Statement of receipts and payments for the year
| Receipts Offerings and Gifts Investment Income Total Revenue Receipts Capital Receipts Total Receipts from all sources Payments Direct Charitable Expenditure Payments relating directly to charitable activities Grants and donations Premises Costs Administration Governance Total Revenue Payments Capital payments Total Payments Net receipts / (payments) in year Net Surplus / (net deficit) for year |
2023 Unrestricted Funds £ 51,084 0 51,084 0 51,084 33,838 1,450 7,792 3,880 1,231 48,191 0 48,191 2,893 2,893 |
2023 Unrestricted Funds £ 51,084 0 51,084 0 51,084 33,838 1,450 7,792 3,880 1,231 48,191 0 48,191 2,893 2,893 |
2023 2023 2022 Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds £ £ £ 1,687 52,771 54,189 0 0 0 |
2023 2023 2022 Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds £ £ £ 1,687 52,771 54,189 0 0 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51,084 | 1,687 52,771 54,189 |
|||
| 0 | 0 0 0 |
|||
| 51,084 | 1,687 52,771 54,189 |
|||
| 33,838 1,450 7,792 3,880 1,231 |
0 33,838 30,123 6,771 8,221 8,845 0 7,792 7,648 0 3,880 2,348 0 1,231 1,161 |
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| 48,191 | 6,771 54,962 50,125 |
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| 0 | 0 0 0 |
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| 48,191 | 6,771 54,962 50,125 |
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| 2,893 | (5,084) (2,191) 4,064 |
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| 2,893 | (5,084) (2,191) 4,064 |
Page | 9
Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Statement of assets and liabilities
| Cash funds Cash funds and bank balances at start of year Surplus / (deficit) on receipts and payments account (excluding capital payments Cash funds before transfers Transfers between funds Cash and bank balances at end of year Other Assets Description of asset Church Premises Gift Aid Recoverable Total value of other assets Liabilities Description of Liabilities Examiners Fee Total value of liabilities Total Assets less Liabilities |
2023 Unrestricted Funds £ 11,670 2,893 14,563 (2,243) 12,320 260,000 7,103 267,103 660 660 278,763 |
2023 Unrestricted Funds £ 11,670 2,893 14,563 (2,243) 12,320 260,000 7,103 267,103 660 660 278,763 |
2023 2023 2022 Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds £ £ £ 2,841 14,511 10,448 (5,084) (2,191) 4,064 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14,563 (2,243) |
(2,243) 12,320 14,511 2,243 0 0 |
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| 12,320 | 0 12,320 14,511 |
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| 260,000 7,103 |
0 260,000 260,000 0 7,103 6,289 |
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| 267,103 | 0 267,103 266,289 |
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| 660 | 0 660 460 |
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| 660 | 0 660 460 |
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| 278,763 | 0 278,763 280,340 |
M Humphries , Trustee
Approved by the board of trustees on 21 November 2023
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Notes to the accounts
1. Basis of accounting
Receipts and payments accounts are statements that summarise the movement of cash into and out of the charity during the financial year. In this context “cash” includes cash equivalents, for example bank accounts where cash can be readily withdrawn to pay for debts as they become due.
A Receipts and Payments basis does not account for debtors, creditors, accruals and prepayments, but such a presentation is permitted by law for smaller charities.
2. The nature and purpose of each fund
Restricted funds comprise monies received for specific purposes, as laid down by the donor. Appropriate expenditure is allocated against such funds.
Unrestricted funds are those funds which are available for the general purposes of the charity.
3. Trustee remuneration
No Trustee receives remuneration for their services as a trustee of the charity.
All Trustees are reimbursed where appropriate for expenditure incurred on behalf of the Charity. These expenses are included in the receipts and payments accounts in the appropriate category.
4. Salaries and wages
| Gross salaries and employers National Insurance and pension costs Average number of full time employees in year |
2023 29,085 29,085 1.0 |
2022 25,399 |
|---|---|---|
| 25,399 | ||
| 0.9 |
The above amounts are included in the receipts and payments accounts in the "payments relating directly to charitable activities".
5. Taxation
The charity is not liable to tax on its charitable income.
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Notes to the accounts
6. Analysis of receipts and payments for the year
| Receipts Donations Gift Aid recovered Total Donations Received Investment Income Total Receipts Payments Payments relating directly to charitable activities Gross wages and salaries - charitable activities Resource Costs Outreach Expenses Advertising Travel, Subsistence & Hospitality Training and conferences Premises Costs Insurance Utilities / Rates Cleaning Rent Maintenance General administrative expenses Stationery and Printing Telephone and Fax Subscriptions Equipment expensed Grants paid Grants paid to individuals Grants paid to institutions Governance costs Examiners Fees Other Professional Fees |
2023 Unrestricted Funds 44,795 6,289 |
2023 2023 2022 Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds 1,687 46,482 45,546 0 6,289 8,643 |
2023 2023 2022 Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds 1,687 46,482 45,546 0 6,289 8,643 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51,084 0 |
1,687 52,771 54,189 0 0 0 |
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| 51,084 | 1,687 52,771 54,189 |
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| 29,085 360 2,306 559 669 859 |
0 29,085 25,399 0 360 110 0 2,306 2,317 0 559 741 0 669 1,556 0 859 0 |
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| 33,838 | 0 33,838 30,123 |
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| 930 3,032 1,578 0 2,252 |
0 930 824 0 3,032 3,829 0 1,578 945 0 0 360 0 2,252 1,690 |
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| 7,792 | 0 7,792 7,648 |
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| 2,309 487 549 535 |
0 2,309 1,112 0 487 487 0 549 374 0 535 375 |
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| 3,880 | 0 3,880 2,348 |
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| 1,450 0 |
0 1,450 4,235 6,771 6,771 4,610 |
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| 1,450 | 6,771 8,221 8,845 |
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| 460 771 |
0 460 400 0 771 761 |
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| 1,231 | 0 1,231 1,161 |
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Milton Free Baptist Church Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023
Notes to the accounts
7. Analysis of funds
| Restricted Funds General Fund Total Funds |
Balance at 1 Apr 2022 £ |
Receipts £ |
Payments £ |
Transfer between Funds £ |
Transfer between Funds £ |
Balance at 31 Mar 2023 £ |
Balance at 31 Mar 2023 £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| at | ||||||||
| 2,841 | 1,687 | (6,771) | 2,243 | 0 | ||||
| 11,670 | 51,084 | (48,191) | (2,243) | 12,320 | ||||
| 14,511 | 52,771 | (54,962) | 0 | 12,320 |
8. Analysis of Grants for the year
| Grants to Institutions Armenian Ministry Barnabas Fund Blurton Baptist Church CMI Aid Community Ambassadors Douglas MacMillian Friends of Israel New Malden Baptist Church New Tribes Mission Total Grants to Institutions Grants to Individuals Total Grants in Year |
2023 Unrestricted Funds £ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
2023 Unrestricted Funds £ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
2023 Restricted Funds £ 825 524 0 3,497 900 0 125 0 900 |
2023 Restricted Funds £ 825 524 0 3,497 900 0 125 0 900 |
2023 Total Funds £ 825 524 0 3,497 900 0 125 0 900 |
2022 Total Funds £ 900 289 75 300 900 321 0 550 900 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 6,771 | 6,771 | 4,235 | ||||
| 1,450 | 0 | 1,450 | 4,610 | ||||
| 1,450 | 6,771 | 8,221 | 8,845 |
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