2023-12-31-annual-report - South Kirk Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

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Docusign Envelope ID: 580092EB-929C-4700-9A7D-7DBC2BCD95A9

Windsor Presbyterian Church

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2023

Structure, Governance and Management

The Trust (the Charity) is an unincorporated Trust, constituted under a Deed of Trust, and is registered as a Charity with HMRC and Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. The Charity plans to continue to raise funds through its routine and special collections from within its congregation, raising supplementary income from various other sources such as investment income, all of which to serve the Charity’s objectives in the furtherance of the Christian belief.

Windsor Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (‘PCI’) and established under the rules and constitution of PCI. It is a charity established for the advancement of religion (Christianity). In accordance with the Code of the PCI, the charity trustees are the elders of the church: the minister is the teaching elder, there are 8 ruling elders. Together these 9 people form the Kirk Session. The Kirk Session is responsible for the spiritual oversight of the Church. It also exercises oversight of the Congregational Committee which deals with congregational finances and property. The Kirk Session and Congregational Committee both meet approximately eight times a year. Elders / charity trustees are elected by voting members of the congregation in accordance with the Code of the PCI; once elected, they remain in office until they retire or resign.

On 15[th] January 2024 the congregation of Great Victoria Street Presbyterian Church merged with the congregation of Windsor Presbyterian Church. On 21[st] June 2024 at the General Assembly the new name of the merged congregation was agreed, South Kirk Presbyterian Church.

Trustees

The Trustees who served during the year were as follows:

Barbara Lagan Cecil Graham Fergus Hanna Bell Heather Hanna Ivan Steen Nell Cooke Norma Dawson Ryan McAnlis Tony Tham

Risk Management

The Trustees actively review any major risks which the Charity faces on a regular basis and believe that maintaining reserves at current levels, combined with an annual review of the controls over key financial systems, will provide sufficient resources for the incoming year. The Trustees have also examined other operational and business risks faced by the Charity and confirm that they have established systems to mitigate the most significant risks.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 580092EB-929C-4700-9A7D-7DBC2BCD95A9

Windsor Presbyterian Church

Report of the Trustees

for the year ended 31 December 2023

Objectives and Activities

The Trustees have regard to the Northern Ireland Charity Commission's Public benefit requirements statutory guidance.

The principal activity of the Charity is to hold services of worship and other religious activities. These, and all that follow, are open to anyone of appropriate age and/or gender to access, without regard to whether they are members of our congregation.

Through prayer, support our members, our own Church, other Christian Churches, the community and leaders in society and government.
Organise meetings and events that promote our charitable purpose.
Participate in the life of the local community.
Participate in, and support the work of, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the supervising Presbytery.
Support other secular and Christian organisations and charities through volunteering, financial gifts and prayer.

The main activities undertaken to further these aims are detailed in the "Achievements and performance" section of this report.

Achievements & Performance

Windsor’s income is derived from weekly collections (‘freewill offering’) and other donations; legacies and gift aid.

Our services were conducted in full compliance with current regulations and guidance. One aspect of our services is that we integrated British Sign Language and Persian into our Services. We have a very strong connection with Kinghan Church for the Deaf. We have continued to develop our role with the International Meeting Point in South Belfast. Bible study, Prayers and counselling all continued. We have invested in new equipment in order to improve our delivery of Services online in the future. Because of our contact with asylum seekers, many of our congregation suffer from shortages of basic food and other items.

The Trustees are most grateful to our Minister for his resolute determination in carrying out the work of Windsor Presbyterian Church.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 580092EB-929C-4700-9A7D-7DBC2BCD95A9

Windsor Presbyterian Church

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2023

Financial Review

The Financial Statements are presented in the standard format required by the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 2015. The Statement of Financial Activities on page 6 shows the gross income from all sources for the year ended 31[st] December 2023.

Windsor Presbyterian Church is reliant upon income collected through its weekly collections and special collections; combined with the receipt of donations and the subsequent Gift Aid claims and investment income to cover the running costs of the Charity and to further its objectives.

In the year under review, the income received from weekly collections amounted to £55,412 (2022: £51,692 ), this amount was further enhanced by the subsequent receipt of Gift Aid amounting to £13,264 (2022; £11,832). Special Collections received amounted to £36,758 (2022: £21,615 ); with Loose collections raising £3,852 (2022; £3,241).

During the year under review the Charity received £Nil (2022; £ 600 ) by way of grant income. Miscellaneous income for the year amounted to £Nil (2022; £5,029).

Expenses associated with its charitable activity work amounted to £103,508 (2022; £91,520) during the year, with a further amount of £36,307 being spent on running and administration expenses (2022; £64,302). Windsor Presbyterian Church has been sharing the premises of Great Victoria Street Presbyterian Church during the period. Windsor Presbyterian Church has been contributing towards the running costs of the building.

Investment Policy

The Charity holds a long-term investment from which it receives annual dividend income. Apart from retaining a prudent amount in reserves each year most of the Charity’s funds are spent in the short term.

Reserves Policy

The Trustees aim to maintain sufficient reserves to enable the Trust to continue its humanitarian aid and Christian outreach at its current level, and if possible to increase it.

Plans for the future

We are seeking to consolidate our position by living and serving out our Christian values. Our vision is one that seeks to breakdown borders between people in our community and beyond. This is achieved through:

weekly Sunday Worship;
Prayer meetings;
Life Groups, to continue our connection with the International Meeting Point, continue to develop relations with other denominations within the local community; and
providing continued support and teaching/ Bible study to congregational member and non-members alike.

We will seek a merger with the hosting congregation of Gt Victoria St Congregation under the oversight of PCI of governing bodies and Charity Commission of Northern Ireland (for further details see Page 1 “Structure and Governance” section).

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Docusign Envelope ID: 580092EB-929C-4700-9A7D-7DBC2BCD95A9

Windsor Presbyterian Church

Report of the Trustees

for the year ended 31 December 2023

Trustee responsibilities in relation to the accounts

The Charity Trustees are responsible for preparing a Trustees' annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in Northern Ireland requires the Charity Trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, of the Charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures that must be 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 proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations, and the provisions of the Trust Deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the Charity and financial information included on the Charity's website in accordance with legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements.

This report was approved by the Trustees and signed on its behalf by

Mr Fergus Bell Trustee

12 September 2024 Date:

Dr Heather Hanna Trustee 15 September 2024 Date:

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