Belfast City Mission Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) Year ended 29 February 2024 The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the financial statements of the chariiy for the year ended 29 February 2024. Reference and administrative detalls Regislered charity name Belfasl City Mission Charity registration number 102621 Company registration number R0000079 Principal office and registered Belfast City Mission Assembly Buildings off ice 2-10 FIshe￿iCk place Belfasl BT1 6DW Northern Ireland The trustees Mr R Armour Mr H Thompson Rev D Bannerman Mr W Logan Mr J Douglas Mr T INin Rev J Maddock Rev G McKeown Rev A Smyth Mr R Woods (Resigned 1 June 2023} (Resigned 1 June 2023} (Resigned 20 July 2023) Company secretary William Logan Auditor Hill Vellacott Chartered accountants & statutory auditor 22 Greal Victoria Street Belfast BT2 7BA Belfast City Mission Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Direclor's Report) (¢ontlnuedJ Year ended 29 February 2024 Struclure, governance and management Belfast Cily Mission is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charily. It is legally known for the promotion of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the city of Belfast. Governlng Body The governing body of Belfast City Mission is responsible for oversighl of the business and the Chrislian ethos of our work. Governing Document The Belfast 'Town' Mission was founded in 1827. The name of the mission changed in 1918 to Belfast City Mission Ilncorporated} as a Limiled Company under Ihe Companies Acl 1908 - 1912. Memorandum and Articles ol Association were updated on 2 May 1997. Appoinlment of Governors Eighteen governors are elected every three years at our annual board meeting in April prior lo the annual meeting of Bellast City Mission. Management Responsibility for Ihe day to day running of the Belfast City Mission lies with the executive secretary along with the superintendent's board. Membership or organisation A member of the British Association of City Missions. Trustees and helpers All Trustees and helpers in our 16 halls give of their services without payment or expenses. Objectives and aclivities The work of the Belfast City Mission continues with the purpose of reaching people from all classes and creeds with the good news of the gospel. Mission halls in various districts across Belfast hold meetings which cater for all age groups throughout the week. Special emphasis is placed on our midweek and Sunday evening services to proclaim God's Word. Organisations such as Sunday school, youth clubs, Boys Brigade IBBI, and Girls Brigade {GB), provide much of the work done with young people. Mums and tots, homework clubs and breakfast clubs are also popular in some districts as a way of building relationships with families. Belfast City Mission Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report {Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued) Year ended 29 February 2024 Strategic report The following sections for achievements and performance and financial review form the strategic report of the charily. Achievements and performance The past twelve months have seen a number ol changes to the staff of Belfast City Mission. Three long standing missionaries relired and two new missionaries were appointed to the staff. At present there are several halls still vacant which we hope to have staffed in the near future. One hall closed {Canton Street) due to falling numbers and the need lor major capital expenditure on the premises. The people who attended the hall have been able to go to meetings in nearby halls in Bloomfield drive and in Island street. Kilburn street hall which was closed lasl year and Canton street hall will hopefully be markeled for sale in the near future. With the retirement of the missionary in Jersey street, the board decided to close the hall for a short time before reopening again but with a different slyle of ministry. It is hoped that Ihe change will encourage more opportunities lo engage with Ihe local community. The work with refugees and asylum seekers once again increased. Two ol our missionaries are involved with many diflerent slrands of ministry as they seek to help some of the most vulnerable in sociely. English classes are provided twice weekly, with attendances at these meetings often exceeding per class. Help is also given with filling out forms for housing and benefits. Many of the halls will seek to provide meals and food parcels for the poorest families in their districts. This has proved a valuable way of connecling with the elderly and the loneliest people who otherwise would be struggling. Our children's work has once again Ilourished with many missionaries reporting an increase at Sunday school, youth clubs and the uniformed organisations such as GB and BB. Mums and lots groups are also popular in some of our distrcits. This is a valuable and rewarding work because it often leads to stronger family connections wilh the parents and guardians. Dislrict visilalion {door to door) is one of the mosl effective ways to get to know people and to invite them to the meetings in our halls. All missionaries are involved in taking funerals. Some of these have been difficult because of the tragic circumstances particularity with suicides which seems to be increasing. Belfast City Mission Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued) Year ended 29 February 2024 Financial review Delails of the results for the period are set out in the statemenl of financial activities on page 10 and the related notes. Investment policy and returns Belfast City Mission investments are managed by Kleinwort Hambros and Evelyn Partners Stockbrokers and were valued at £1,691,271 as al 28 February 2024. During ihe past financial period. we have received dividend income from these investments tolalling £36,360. The finance of Belfast City Mission is wholly dependent on voluntary contributions received from people across the Province. The generosity of these gifts allows the Mission to carry out its work. As always we are thankful for those who continue to support us both prayerfully and practically. Our main source of income this year has been our offerings from our Mission Halls and Churches and individual donations from across Northern Ireland. Reserves We need in the region of £600,000 per annum to keep us afloat, which up until 202312024 we had received year on year. In 202312024 we received £1,245,06912022123: £817,4151- At 28 February 2024 the charity held funds of £4,423,985. Of this £3,495,287 can only be realised by disposing of langible fixed assets or investments. In 202312024 we are grateful for the bequests we have received towards our work which increased significantly on Ihe previous year. Plans for future periods As always, we are thankful for the churches, individuals and businesses which support our work throughoLAt the year. Without their faithful giving and praying the work ol the Mission would be severely hindered. Most of all we are grateful for God's gracious hand upon out work and the blessings we have received. It is anticipated that our new work will not be focused primarily on hall based with meeting. A grealer emphasis is being placed on more community Outreach. Co-operation wilh the local PCI churches is also key to our future developmenl. Working on joint projects is more efficient and cosl effective for all involved. Tax status The company has been accepted as constiluting a charity under the provisions of Ihe Taxes Acts. Details ol the results for the period are set out in Ihe statement of financial activities on page 10 and the related notes. Investment pollcy and returns Belfast City Mission Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) {contlnued) Year ended 29 February 2024 Belfasl City Mission investments are managed by Kleinwort Hambros and Evelyn Partners Slockbrokers and were valued at £1,691,271 as al 28 February 2024. During the past financial period, we have received dividend income from Ihese investments totalling £36,360. The finance of Belfast City Mission is wholly dependent on voluntary contributions received from people across Ihe Province. The generosity of these gifts allows the Mission lo carry out its work. As always we are thankful for those who continue lo support us both prayerfully and practically. Our main source of income this year has been our offerings from our Mission Halls and Churches and individual donations from across Northern Ireland. Reserves We need in the region of £600,000 per annum to keep us afloat, which up until 202312024 we had received year on year. In 202312024 we received £1,245,06912022123: £817,415). At 28 February 2024 Ihe charity held funds of £4,423,985. Of Ihis £3.495,287 can only be realised by disposing of langible fixed assets or investments. In 202312024 we are grateful for the bequests we have received towards our work which increased significantly on Ihe previous year. Plans for fulure periods As always, we are thanklul for the churches, individuals and businesses which support our work throughout the year. Without their failhful giving and Praying the work of Ihe Mission would be severely hindered. Most of all we are grateful lor God's gracious hand upon out work and the blessings we have received. It is anlicipated thal our new work will not be focused primarily on hall based with meeting. A greater emphasis is being placed on more communily outreach. Co-operalion with Ihe local PCI churches is also key lo our future developmenl. Working on joint projects is more efficient and cost effective for all involved. Tax status The company has been accepted as constituting a charity under the provisions of the Taxes Acts. Trustees, responsibilities statemenl The trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the Irustees, report and the financial slatements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepied Accounting Practice). Belfast City Mission Company Limited by Guaranlee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Direclor's Report) (conllnued) Year ended 29 February 2024 Company law requires Ihe charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and lair view of the state of alfairs of the charitable company and the incoming resources and application ol resources, including the income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to- select suitable accounling policies and then apply them consistently., observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP. make judgments and accounling eslimates that are reasonable and prudent. state whether applicable UK Accounling Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. 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 adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charily and enable them lo ensure that the linancial slatements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assels of Ihe charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and olher irregularities. Auditor Each of tho persons who is a Iruslee al the date of approval of this report confirms that: so far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit information ol which the charily's auditor is unaware., and they have taken all steps Ihat they ought to have taken as a trustee lo make Ihemselves aware of any relevant audit informalion and to establish that the charity's auditor is aware of Ihat inlormation. A resolution lo reappoint Hill Vellacott as audilors will be proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting. The Irustees, annual report and the strategic report were approved on 29 October 2024 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by= Mr H Thompson Trustee Mr W Logan Trustee