cor4NECT MINISTRIES REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS (INCORPORATING TRUSTEES, REPORT) The Directors (who are s0 the trustees) are pleased to present their annual report together with the flnanci statements of the charity for the year ended 31st August 2023. which ar¢ prepared to meet the requirements for a dire¢tors' report and accounts for copanieS Att putposts. Tht directots have adopted the piovision5 of the CompaniBS Act 2006 and Accounting and Reportjll8 by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing accounts in &CCOTdance with the FinanGi&l Reporting Standard appliGable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (Chariti¢5 SORP- FRS1021, in preparing the anllual report and fJnanci8J statements of the chariry_ Achievements Rnd performance Connect Millistries is a Christian charity with a desire to bring community transfonnatEon one life at a time connecting peoplE from the place of their GurrEnt reality to a God-first, lesus-ctntred, purpost-driven life. by The Charity endeavollrs to bring transforniation by iwo approaches., directly by face-to-face beneficiary interactions; and also, indircGtly by 5UPPOrting the civil and sD¢ial authorities within the COTlltnunity. The Charity runs and oversees social action projects across a nurnber of conimunities Ilrythin a 20-mile radius of its r¢gistercd offiGt. Th05¢ social action projtrt5 includ¢, but aT¢ not limit6d to. Street rwh, Ballymena Foodbank scrving circa 2.555 people in 2023 (last year 2,0001, we sllccessfully recruited a dedicated Foodbank Project Manager, and we also have BabyEssentjs. We runKids Reach. Sonshine IITeek community outreach programme in July where 100 church volunteers dedicated their tilne. We hawe a flouri4hittg Dttam Café, Furniture lA]Stry] Colnu]tY clean up and powcr washit)8. In the reporting period, countless volunteers invested many more thall 8,500 hours throughout the year, supporting a connectLOD to frontline goTr'ernmEntal and noll-governmentaj organis&tions. The 5UPPOrt providedranges from befriending to em¢rg¢n¢y provssions itl respons¢ io ¢rises, from kids. clubs tts diop in cafe providing hot me*ls free tsf charge to ¢ir¢a 75 people each weeK to practical help and support bringing ellvirot)mental improvement. Our volunteer and staff investment resulttd in supporting individuals, journeys through alcohol, drug rehabilitstion, and engaging 6 people on probation, instilling hope into those without aJ]y, creating opportunity for people to find stTUCtur¢ and purpose as w¢ll as me¢ling the immediate needs of individuals and communities to alleiiat¢ poverty alld improve social welfare. Connect 50 had the privilege of leading 25 people into a new faith in Jesvs. In 2023, we continued i(> be fully focused on responding to eme¥gen¢y provision of food. baby essentials and hYene iterns to our IDcal cornmunity through Ballymena Foodb&nk. Our staff team was arranged to help manage this and we engaged volunteers who de]ivered these supplies to the hornes Of those who were in most need. Financi81 review J)nd funds policy During the year Ihe Charity h&d toiaj income of £101,753 and total expenditure of £108,039 resuliing iii a net deficit of £6,286. The net deficit for the year a5 Sh0Th in the statement of financial a¢tiYilies or page 7 has been transferred to the GOTnpany'5 fullds and has T¢5ulttd in a decre¢ in total Charity funds from £53,029 to £46.74i. Details of th6 financial position of the Charity at the year-end can be seen on page 8. At the eDd of th¢ year the Charity had £15,314 cash at bank. It t5 the aitn of the Trustees, if possible. to maintail) an unrestricted ¢ash r¢serve equivalent to that of two months expellditure. The CoMpY plall5 to continue its activities in the forthcomitkg years.
CONNECT MINISTRIES REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS (CoRtilled) Objectives and Activities (and how they deliver public benefTt) Puryose I purp).. To promote thc benefit oftht inhabitants of Northern Ireland Ihereinafter called'the aof b6nefit'l without distinction of sex, sexual orielltatton, race or of political, religious or Oth opinion by associating together the said inhabitmts &nd the local authorities voluntary and other orgtthisations ill a c(Fnunon effort to relive poverty and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for the recrcalion and l¢isur¢ time OCGupatioTr with the Dbjert of improving the GodItIOnS of lif¢ ot said habitants. ope to all of th¢ public in Ntsrthem Ii¢land. The provision of fa¢ilAties for pub]ic use. Through the provision ofclothillg or food. The adoption of a moral framework which encourages people to be good citizens. Promotional rnat¢ri&l5. Improved behavior. Improvernent in social. etnotiona] and physical wellbeiiig of participants. Improvement in a peIson or group's person anivor financial circumstances. Ben£fi¢iarits- Howihey benefit.. How th¢ b6ncfits can be demon5trdted.. Purpose 2 Purpose.. Ben¢fiGiaries'. To advance the Chri5tEan religion. Open to all of the public ill Northern Irelalld. Access to publiE wot3hip_ Access to religious PEiblicatior15 including sacred texts and literature. lrnproved behaNiour as a rB5uIt of being involved in a public aGt of worship. How they btnefit.. How the benefits can be delnonstrated.. Activities The Charity's main activities are as follows.. To communic&te, witness and implement the Gospel of Jesus Christ by means of ex&mple and the spokej and written word. To draw, llmke, accept, elldor5e, discoulll, execute alld issue promÉssory iiotes, bills, cheques alld other instruments, and to operate bank accounts in the tme of the Company. To raist funds and to invite and receive contTibutions,' providBd that Jn raising funds the Company Shall not und¢rtake any perallent trjding activitÉe5 and shall conform to any relevant statutory regulations. To protnot£ tht fornthtion anwor incorporation of or to otherwise acquire and fund from monies held by the Company as are not imtllediately required in discharge of tbe Company's other Objects either by the means of equity or debt such wholly owned non-¢haritabl¢ tradiTag subsidiaries the Company consideis appropriat¢ from lime to time. To acquire, alter, improve and (gubject to such consents as may be required by lawl to charge or otherwise dispose of property. VoIunteers The Trtsstees wishtD acknowledge iheirdeep apprtciation ofthose whD givE frBely of theirtItnE by serving on committtts and helping with organisations attd other ministry activities.
CONNEcf MINISTRIES REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS (eontirtued) Objective5 gnd Activities (and bow they deliver public bellefLtI (conÉiAued) To employ such staff, who shall not be directors of the Company, as are neces8ary lor the proper pur5Utt ofthe Objects and to make all reasonable and necessary provision for the payment of pensions and superatall0 to staff alld their dependents. To establish or support any charitable trusts, association5 or ir]stitutions formed for all or any of the Objects. To establish or se¢we the establ1s11ent of a Centre and to maintain and manage the sant Iwhetber alone or in BQ-operation with any local authority or other person or body) in fvrth¢ran¢e of these Objects. To co-operate with other charit1¢5, voluntary bodies and statutory &uthorities Op¢tIng in furtheranGe of the Objects or similar ¢haritable pllrposes and to exchange infomiatign and advice with them. To pay out of the filnds of the Cofflpany thB costs, chargE5 and ¢xp¢ns¢5 Qf and in¢ident&l to the fomHtion and registration of the Company. Refer¢n¢¢ and 8dmini5trative details R¢gi5terEd Gharity naTnr-. Charity Conllnission re¥istration number.. HMRC charity reference.. Cottipany regjsttation nu]nber'. Principle office atld Tegistered offJ¢e'. Conne¢t Ministries NIC101360 XR22389 N1033172 CIO Green Pastwes, The People's Church l Faitb Avenue The Gateway Ballymena County Antrim BT42 3FF Directors 2nd Trustee8 of ihe Compally The directors held office during the year, and in the period since 31* August 2023 to the d&fr of these accounts we approvtd, were as follow5.. Mr. Robert Kingsttsn Mrs. Sara StepheJ]s Mr William Wilsot Nfr. J6ffrey Wright Structhre? governance and maagement The Company is a charity limited by guaralltee without shaTe capital. The CompaTLy is governed by its Memorandum and Article5 of A5SOCLation dated 30th OctobeT 1997. In th¢ event of ihe Company being wound up members ai¢ r¢quired to ¢ontribute an OUnt not ex¢¢¢dillg £10. The Board is responsible for the ovcraIl governance of the Cotnpany with thE d&y-to-day maiiageTnent dElegated to T¢SPOll5ible itE(fividuals. Directors are &pwinted in line with the Memorandum and Articles of Assoeiation ofthe company. The Board of Directors are also known as TrUStS for the purposes of the Charity Commission. The Tru5te¢s have had regard to the chity Com]nis5ion's Public BEThefit requirement.
CONNECT MINISTRIES REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS (contiNued) Risk management The directors have conducted a review of the major risks to which the charity is ¢xpose(f. FinancEal risk is reviewed on a onthiy basi5 having due Tegard to ongoiDg incotllE and Expenses. SlateweDt of d5ro¢tors' rÈspon$ibllities The directors {who are the trustees of Connect Ministries) are responsible for preparing the directors 'report and the financial statements in a¢¢ordan¢¢ wilh applicable law and regulations. Compally lawrequires the directors to prepare fInanCI stat¢mtnts for each financial peTIDd. Underthat law th¢ diredors have prepaT¢d the fin&n¢iaE statements in a¢¢ordan¢e with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice IUnitEd Kingdom Accounting Startdards and applicable lawl. Under Company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they satisfied tbat they give a true and fair view of the State of affair5 of the chantable Gompany and of th¢ incortling ie50ur¢es and appli¢ation of r¢sour¢es, including in¢om¢ and expendiwre for that period. In pparing these financial statements, the directors are required to.. select 5Uitable acrountillg polLCle5 atld apply thcm con515t¢ntly' observe th¢ methods and principles in the Char]ties SORP-FRS I02- make jlldgemenis and accounting Èstitnates that are reasonable at prudent,. state whether applicable accounting stsndards have been followed, subject to any material departures di5clos¢d and explained in the Financi statement- and pr¢par¢the financial statemerntson the going ¢on¢ernbasis unless it is xnappmprAate 10 presurne thatthe cornpany will continue business. The directors are responsible forkeeping adequate a¢countlllgrecordsth&t are sufficielltto show and explain the Chtable company's tran5adion5 and disc105¢ Wlthre8sonable a¢¢ura¢y at any tirnc th¢ finan¢ial ptssition of th¢ ¢haritsble company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements con]ply M'ith tht Coinpanies Act 2006. They are also respoll5ible for safeguarding the assets of the ¢haTitable company and h¢nce for taking reasoJJable sieps for the prevention and dttection Df fraud and other irregularities. VuRd5 held as Custodian trustee on behalf of others The Gharity does not hold any fund5 on behalf of others. Small companfftes provision statenJeRt Thss report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relatEnE to Compallies subjtct to the small companies r¢8lillt within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006. Approved by the Board on 23 ApTiI 2024 signed on its behalf by.. Mr8 Sara Stephens Trustee