2025-07-31-annual-report - I B Networks Trust

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IB NETWORKS TRUST REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

The Trustees of IB Networks Trust Ltd are pleased to present their annual Directors’ Report and the accompanying independently examined financial statements for the year ending 31st July 2025. These are presented in compliance with the requirements for the Directors’ Report and Accounts under the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements further comply with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008; the Company's Articles of Association; and the Accounting and Reporting by Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP). This is applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard FRS 102 of the Financial Reporting Council, applicable in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

OUR STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Irish Baptist Networks (referred to as | B N) operates under the legal structure of a Charitable Company registered with HMRC as | B Networks Trust Ltd (Company Number XT16937). It is also registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (Charity Registration Number NiC100323).

The Company was set up by a number of Baptists from Ireland who accept the legal accountability for the Company as Members of the Company. The Members appoint a Board of Directors to manage | B Networks Trust. The Directors’ names are as listed.
The appointment of Members and Directors of | B Networks Trust Ltd. is covered by the Articles of the Company.
The Directors held the Annual Meeting of | B Networks Trust for 2024-25 on 23" March 2026

1B N Management Arrangements

1BN is managed through a Steering Group comprising | B Networks Trust Ltd. Directors and others (see point 3 below).
The Steering Group of IBN and new Members/ Directors of| B Networks Trust Ltd are appointed from those persons who have identified their commitment to | BN.
Persons serving on the Steering Group who are not Directors of| B Networks Trust Ltd are appointed or reappointed at an annual | B N meeting.
The Steering Group may from time to time propose names of new Directors for the Company.
The Steering Group met in person five times over the budget year 2024-25 with Zoom arrangements facilitating those not able to be present.

OUR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The Trust is established to advance Christian faith and practice for the public benefit through the encouragement of fellowship with, and understanding of, the Baptist family around the world. In

IB NETWORKS TRUST REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

planning our activities, we keep under ongoing review both our Aims and Objectives and our stated public benefit as approved in our NI Charities Commission registration.

| B N is now the public profile under which the Trust operates. |B N exists to promote the building of meaningful relationships primarily, but not exclusively, with other Baptist believers globally. This is done by encouraging and facilitating wider fellowship and relationships between Baptists across the island of Ireland and the global community.

| B Nis a small volunteer organisation seeking to be a voice to Baptists in Ireland for the Kingdom ministries of a wider family of Baptist believers. | B N also shares information and perspectives from Ireland with the wider Baptist family. In its activities IBN works in partnership with other like-minded groups of believers who share a gospel commitment. Dr Toivo Pilli, an Estonian Baptist leader, has described Baptists as those who should be “...networking under the Lordship of Christ.” We seek to do this! Our activities allow for us to arrange conferences, consultations and other events which promote theological reflection and focus on responding to people in need, primarily internationally. We now have well-established international links as an Affiliated Network of the European Baptist Federation, www.ebf.org, which expresses Baplist witness across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and central Asia. {BN sends delegates to the Annual Council meeting of the EBF. In September 2024, the EBF Council meeting was held in Budapest, Hungary and three | B N representatives attended. The EBFis one of six regi o fnsthe Baptist World Allance, www.bwa.org, which operates globalty and of which | B N is an Associate member. | B N is also a participant organisation of the Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland (FBBI), which brings together representatives from the Baptist Unions of Wales, Scotland and Great Britain and their mission agency - BMS World Mission. Through these links we engage with, learn about, and contribute to the shared life of the wider Baptist family.

THE TRUST’S ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

We seek to network with local churches by providing them with opportunities to engage with relevant issues. We have focussed on enabling financial support for Ukraine and Lebanon again this year. We welcomed Revd. Alan Donaldson to our Annual meeting and spent some time in discussions with him about future arrangements between IBN and EBF.

We had a limited programme of on-line events, and we enjoyed an in-person Annual meeting. Since March 2024 we have been having quarterly prayer and information times with our friends in Thimar, Lebanon, as things have continued to be incredibly challenging for their country. Despite being small in number, God is using Thimar and local churches in offering hope through their ministries and relief programmes.

The | B N Steering Group has been encouraged by the interest shown in, and support for, the ministries and activities enabled through IBN. We continue to operate as volunteers and were grateful for all the support given to the Directors and Steering Group members. We offer an active website, www.ibnetorks.org: which is regularly updated with reports and news.

Despite fewer reguiar events, support for some of our key partners was a major focus of our 2024-25 activities. At our annual meeting, which was held in Finaghy Baptist Church in Belfast, we welcomed Revd. Alan Donaldson, EBF General Secretary. He updated us on the significant challenges facing brothers and sisters across Europe and the Middle East, and he thanked IBN for the generous support for a range of emergency relief appeals.

IB NETWORKS TRUST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

In September 2024, Andrew Browne, Heather Browne, and Stephen Adams represented | B N at the European Baptist Federation (EBF) Council meeting in Budapest, Hungary. Christine Fleming and Stephen Adams joined in two meetings of the Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland (FBBI) in June and October March 2024. Jennifer Harvey and Stephen Adams also participated in a round table residential workshop in Scotiand of the FBBI Mission Community.

1 B N continue to support a ‘church planter working in Chemihiv, Ukraine. The young church is reaching out to their local community and providing humanitarian relief. In May 2024 we arranged a “Virtual Visit” to meet ILYA VYSOTSKIY and hear at first hand of the challenges they face in their ministry. Daniel Trusiewicz, Mission Co-ordinator from EBF and Roman Wecherkowsky, Secretary of Mission in Ukraine Baptist Union both also shared in this virtual visit.

IB NETWORKS TRUST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

PRACTICAL SUPPORT in 2024-25

UKRAINE CHERNIHIV CHURCH PLANTING PROJECT:

Since January 2023 we have supported a Chernihiv church planting project, led by Ilya Vysotskiy. We are committed to raising £330 a month. This church plant is engaging with younger people. | B N works through EBF Mission Partners (MP) who are overseeing the support of Ilya in co-operation with the All-Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches. We receive 6-monthly reports, and post them on our website; see https://www.ibnetworks.org/projects - Our in year MP expenditure was £3,750

UKRAINE RELIEF:

Our support for Ukraine has been maintained since the war started in February 2022. We are so grateful for churches and individuals who have supported the | B N appeal during this financial year. We sent £3,500 to support the Winter War Appeal by EBF.

MIDDLE EAST War Relief:

With the on-going war between Israel and Hamas, IBN promoted an EBF appeal for critical emergency aid with a gift of £1,000.

LEBANON:

We continued our support for THIMAR (formerly LSESD) in Lebanon with £18,730.00 being sent to THIMAR for support in their holistic ministries, as they continue to face a range of serious challenges with the war in Southern Lebanon from Israel. 1 B N thanks all those who have practically supported the wider Baptist family in Europe and the Middle East, who are going through the most testing of times.

For more information and reports, visi the Irish Baptist Networks website:www.ibnetworks.org , or contact the Hon. Secretary: stephen.adams@ibnetworks.org

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Mrs Heather Browne agreed to become an !B Networks Trust Director from December 2024. We thank each Director for their valuable service, and especially David and Dorothy McMillan who stepped down as Directors in December 2024.

Approved by the Board and signed on its behalf by:

KS Nophes Kes Stephen Adams Trustee

Date: 23% March 2026

IB NETWORKS TRUST STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSSBILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The trustees (directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company 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 the relevant legislation, 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 company and of the net movement in funds for that period.

in preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

e select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
e observe the methods and principles in the charities SORP;
e make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
e state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
e prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue on that basis.

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. 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 the Board and agreed on its behalf by:

Mr S Adams KE Fiephen /Ada—e& Trustee Date: 23 March 2026