Colin Glen Christian Fellowship
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts
For year ending 31 December 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Annual Report for the year ended 31st December 2025 .............................................................................. 3 About Colin Glen Christian Fellowship ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Achievements and performance ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 Christian ministry ............................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Foodbank ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Grants given....................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Data management .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Percentage of payments on charitable activities ................................................................................................................ 7 Public benefit .................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Financial Review .................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Overall income and expenditure ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Ministry ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Foodbank ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Looking forward ............................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025 ..................................................................................... 10 Statement of Receipts and Payments – Year Ended 31st December 2025 ............................................................ 10 Statement of assets and liabilities – Year Ended 31st December 2025 ................................................................... 11 Notes to the Accounts ................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Reference and administrative information .................................................................................................. 14 Structure, governance and management ............................................................................................................................ 14 Objects and activities ................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2025
ABOUT COLIN GLEN CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship (CGCF) is an evangelical Christian fellowship based in West Belfast, from the Colin neighbourhood/Dunmurry to Andersonstown. While we are mainly from the local nationalist community, we also have people from further afield. Christians are a community of people who have been spiritually renewed by the work of the Holy Spirit, reconciled to God by faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, from all nations and cultures. At CGCF we experience a little of that cross-community and multicultural dimension to our faith, as we seek to love God and love one another. We welcome those from every background and community, from all faiths or none, who wish to come to our Sunday services and either worship the Lord God or find out more about Jesus Christ. We encourage everyone to become followers of Jesus Christ and worship with us. As a summary of our beliefs, we have adopted the internationally respected World Evangelical Alliance statement of faith. This, and more about us, can be found on our website www.cgcf.ie
While CGCF is an independent fellowship, there are many good informal relationships with other individuals and churches across cultural and denominational boundaries throughout the north, the Republic and abroad.
As Christians we seek to live out our Christianity in a way which is relevant to the culture of the local community in West Belfast, doing our best to provide a welcoming environment where people can listen, learn, worship, share, pray and serve as they get closer to God, through a growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
South-West Belfast foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks, is managed as a ministry under the governance of the charity.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Christian ministry
The regular weekly life of the fellowship throughout the year consisted of Sunday services, midweek evening Fellowship Group meetings and Friday lunchtime prayer meetings, as well as ongoing pastoral ministry. Visiting preachers for Sunday services this year were Albert McDonald, Donald Coulter, Davie Moore, Chad Ballantine, Val English, Cillian McNamara, and Aidan McCormack. From within the congregation Joe Millican preached too. The midweek Fellowship Group continued with a study series on the Sermon on the Mount for most of the year, followed by a series on Tabernacle and Temple. Prayer meetings continued on Friday lunchtimes throughout the year. Pastoral ministry continued, not only by the pastor, but also more informally by his wife and others in the fellowship. Fellowship lunches on the first Sunday of each month continue to be popular and a means of enriched fellowship, especially the Christmas dinner. We are very encouraged with a strong core group in the fellowship.
Gemma O’Neill continued serving as a chaplain for Belfast Swifts girls football club throughout the year. The Young Adults ministry, led by Joe and Rachel Millican, continued to be a blessing to those who attended. The highlight of the year for that small group was attending New Horizon conference week in the summer.
It was a great encouragement to have Rachel Millican commissioned as community worker for CGCF. She left her teaching job and began full-time as community worker at Easter. She was involved in various ministries in the community, including being on the door-to-door evangelism team, family support and neighbourhood visitation. She led restarting the Upper Room children’s ministry with a community outreach focus, as well as being able to spend more time on ministries she was already engaged in, such as Young Adults and children’s talks on Sundays. The Upper Room restarted with a Lights Party during Autumn mid-term, followed by a Christmas Party.
For St. Patrick’s Day we participated in Patrick’s Story, an evangelistic campaign across Ireland. Donald Coulter, David Moore and John Duffy gave talks on the history, faith and legacy of St. Patrick. In March, 245 gift bags were given out in the Kennedy Centre. They contained Scripture calendars, Mark’s Gospel, a CGCF introductory leaflet and various other literature and items. They were very well received. Following on from that, at Christmastime 1,700 similar Christmas gift bags were given out between the Kennedy Centre and Park Centre, with invitations to the carol service and children’s ministry events.
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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Monthly prayer meetings with other local churches locally were attended. The annual Easter Dawn Service in Lady Dixon Park, jointly with several other churches nearby, was followed by breakfast together at one of the churches.
In April, the pastor gave his talk on the history of the Bible in Irish and Presbyterian worship in Irish at a Farranshane House (community centre) in Antrim. This was hosted by Rev. Paul Thompson, minister of Antrim Free Presbyterian Church, who is pioneering engagement with Irish speakers and Scripture in Irish within his denomination.
We continue to be thankful for each person’s ministry in the church, much of which is done out of public view as service to the Lord Jesus.
Foodbank
About the foodbank
South-West Belfast foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks, is managed as a ministry of the charity, led by Edel Diamond as foodbank manager. The foodbank serves a population of 100,000, or 30% of the population covered by Belfast City Council, across one quarter of its footprint. It is located in a particularly needy area—almost 20% of the most deprived wards in N. Ireland fall within the area covered by the foodbank.[1]
We cover both main communities locally, with our building being strategically located on one of the peace lines (a local dividing line between the two). In addition, we also provide food to other organisations, such as homeless outreach, individual and family hostels, and a charity which helps prisoners’ families. People are helped by the foodbank on the basis of need, with no distinction made on other criteria such as religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity.
The foodbank network had been set up to provide short term support—three-day or six-day food packages, normally only needed on a few occasions. This emergency support has been intended to help people in the short term, during their crisis point, while they get longer term support or income in place. Some need food for just a few days or a week, while others require support for longer periods. Crisis causes of poverty include unemployment, addiction, benefit problems, women and children fleeing domestic violence, bereavement, imprisonment.
Yet people are increasingly finding that the longer-term support is insufficient to meet their needs. There is more longer-term help needed at foodbanks. Government benefits such as Universal Credit are just not enough to meet the essential needs of those relying on them. According to the Trussell report on food poverty in N. Ireland in September 2025, “Thousands more people in Northern Ireland experienced food insecurity in 2024 than in 2022 – driven by a social security system that’s not fit for purpose, a lack of advice and support, and work that isn’t decent, secure or adequately paid. Severe hardship is becoming normalised, with concerning signs that individuals are having to routinely go without essentials like food or heating.”[2] While Trussell locally reports a 21% decrease in 2024/25 compared to the previous year, it was still 71% higher than 2019/20.[3] Trussell continue to press government with the ‘Guarantee Our Essentials’ campaign to get the benefits level up to just that point, where it meets the essential needs of those relying on them. The foodbank is still increasingly finding that people are in more medium to long term need than in the past.
When many foodbanks in the Trussell network began, they were able to provide emergency food to help tide people over temporary crisis situations. However, Trussell reports, “The evidence all points to headline trends in emergency food provision that reflect a high level of hunger and hardship in our communities, which show no signs of meaningful change. It is also increasingly clear from speaking with food banks in the Trussell community that it is impossible for food banks to have the capacity and resources to turn this tide.”[4]
1 Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency NIMDM17- SOA level results. The most recent (2017) figures show that of the most deprived areas in N. Ireland (by multiple deprivation measure), 26 of the 133 (15% of 890) fall in our foodbank catchment area. Eleven of those are the 5% most deprived.
2 https://cms.trussell.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-09/hunger_in_northern_ireland_220925.pdf
3 https://cms.trussell.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-05/EYS_factsheet_NI_2025.pdf
4 https://cms.trussell.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-05/EYS_factsheet_NI_2025.pdf
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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Nevertheless, the foodbank continues to serve the most vulnerable. And we are very grateful for those who work extremely hard, from staff to the large team of volunteers from the community, and to all our donors, to whom the foodbank is greatly indebted.
Food support provided
The amount of food given out was 22,242 kg, down 5% from the previous year. The number of meals provided had also reduced accordingly. Coincidentally, the cost of food per kg had also gone up by about the same percentage from mid-2024 to mid-2025. Based on a cost per kg of £3.43 for mid-2025, that weight equates to £73,176 of food donated and given out, either in kind or purchased with funds donated. (That compares with £73,625 for the previous year for 23,523kg, at a revised figure of £3.13 per kg for mid-2024). Food donated in kind (not purchased with cash donated) was down 36% from the previous year (see ‘Notes to the accounts’ below). That resulted in needing to increase cash spending on food purchases by 26%, which was facilitated by reducing overheads as much as possible.
Despite slightly less food given out, the number of people served increased 36%—an indication that food parcels need to be stretched further than in the past. While the number of people helped has gone up 36% in 2025 compared to the previous year, the weight of food given has had to be reduced by 5%. Again, donations from the public are spread out across more charities than in the past, resulting in less food donated, and people’s disposable income has significantly reduced their spending power as food prices have continued to rise.
Most food packages which the foodbank provided were to homes with children, 45%, with 34% of those helped overall being children. This was down from 55% and 43% the previous year. It corresponded with a 10% increase in use of the foodbank by single adults with no children, from 30% the previous year to 40% in 2025. Adults aged 65 and over is unchanged at 1% of those using the foodbank.
The generosity of both individuals and organisations supporting the foodbank was again really generous. We are extremely grateful to all who have donated food at supermarkets, work, community or church events, or donated food as individuals. Also, we are thankful for many who are also donating money which not only allows us to run the foodbank, but increasingly to purchase food to give out too.
The amount of food given out, people served, and meals provided, are shown below.
- Based on kg donated and given out.
Foodbank additional support provided
As was noted after the launch of the foodbank strategy document in 2024, the work of the foodbank was initially mainly serving food, with signposting to other organisations a minor addition to the help provided. The advice given, often without the need for food help, has developed into being a significant part of the work of the foodbank.
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In addition to statistics of weight of food given out, numbers of people helped and meals provided, the additional non-food support provided is becoming increasingly significant. This is classified as minor support (S1), intermediate levels of support (S2), and major levels of help provided (S3). These are measured by both time given to each person as well as any help facilitated through external organisations.[5]
As can be seen from the ‘Additional support provided’ chart, the support provided has increased dramatically in 2025 compared to the previous year. The number of minor (S1) engagements decreased significantly, while medium (S2) and major (S3) increased significantly too. The time spent providing non-food support was 235+ hours (compared to 95+ the previous year). That equates to an eighth (or more) of a full-time working year.
Steering and campaigning
The team have also been increasingly actively engaged in seeking to influence those in power in relation to addressing the factors that drive people into food poverty (at a local level, in addition to Trussell being active at a national level). Edel was encouraged be being among over 700 representatives of foodbanks who visited Westminster in June to promote the Trussell ‘Guarantee our Essentials’ campaign.[6] Volunteers with lived experience were able to share their story with MPs, such as with our local MP Paul Maskey who spend quite some time listening and engaging with Edel and others.
These three aspects of the work of the foodbank are summarised under the headings serving, supporting, steering.
Grants given
The ministry gave small grants totalling £1,723 to other charities in accordance with the charity’s charitable objects. Those charities include local mercy ministries (such as Christians Against Poverty), local mission ministries (such as Our Daily Bread Ministries, Prison Fellowship NI and The Christian Institute), international
----- Start of picture text -----
Additional support
provided
737
256
179
98
80
12
2024 2025
S1 S2 S3
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mercy ministries (such as Tearfund and Samaritan’s Purse), and international mission ministries (such as European Christian Mission, OM, OMF and Wycliffe Bible Translators). Giving from the ministry was 13.3% (up from 11.6% the previous year). If measured from unrestricted funds, giving to other charities was 14.1%, which is above our giving target of 10% from unrestricted funds.
Data management
The charity is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). Privacy policies for the charity and the foodbank are available. No data breaches occurred or were reported during the year.
5 S1: time spent up to five minutes. S2: time spent between 5–15 minutes, or a single instance of tangible non-food support provided (e.g. Fuel Bank voucher, electric heater or bedding supplied). This does not include food vouchers for supermarkets, pet food, or kitchen essentials. S3: time spent more than 15 minutes and/or multiple instances of tangible non-food support.
6 https://www.trussell.org.uk/news-and-research/news/anti-poverty-campaigners-demand-urgent-action-at-westminster
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Percentage of payments on charitable activities
The percentage of payments on ‘Charitable activities’ was 99%.
Public benefit
In setting out our objectives and planning our activities for the year, the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity’s purposes and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries.
The trustees are confident that no private benefit has been identified as having been provided during the year. Any private benefit which may arise from the activities of the charity is considered incidental to the public benefit.
The trustees continue to be aware that Bible-based churches are relatively uncommon in the local community in West Belfast. Yet our culturally-sensitive and respectful approach to those of differing faiths or none mitigates against potential harm, which is also considered outweighed by the public benefits.
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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FINANCIAL REVIEW
Overall income and expenditure
The overall receipts for ministry and foodbank (excluding loans repaid) for the year were £55,719, down from £82,988 the previous year. There are a few reasons for the difference, as noted below. Payments were also down for both ministry and foodbank, although not reduced as much as the income. The decrease in income across the board seems to reflect the continued financial constraint from less disposable income from donors and less funding available from grant funders.
Ministry
There was an overall net movement of funds of £7,359 for the ministry.
The ministry receipts were down 28% from the previous year. Some of that was due to some donations going directly to support the pastor, through Stewardship. The bulk of income for the ministry remains high, with 85% coming from those in the fellowship (it was 83% the previous year). The bulk of payments are for rent and utilities. Ministry outreach costs increased by £4.3k due to outreach at shopping centres at St. Patrick’s Day and at Christmas.
The pie charts below illustrate the distribution of receipts and payments for the ministry aspects of the running of the charity (from the Statement of Receipts and Payments).
Ministry Receipts 2025
Ministry Payments 2025
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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Foodbank
There was an overall net movement of funds of £13,420 for the foodbank.
Foodbank grant income from Trussell decreased by over £19k since funding for the foodbank coordinator role had ceased. Although this was offset by the operations manager leaving in Jan 2025, with responsibilities for both employee roles being combined into the role of Foodbank Centre Coordinator.
An increase of over £11k in ‘Grants: Other’ was mainly due to the 2024/2025 winter hardship grant for food purchases from Belfast City Council.
Nevertheless, donations were generally down significantly from the previous year, as well as fewer supermarket collection days where fundraising was available alongside food collection.
The increase in foodbank ‘Rent, service charge, utilities’ is due to a significant credit from the landlord (for charges during Covid 19) having offset costs for rent, until payments resumed in November 2024. As noted above, foodbank employee costs were reduced in Jan 2025.
See the Foodbank Payments table in the accounts section for more details on the expenditure breakdown of foodbank payments.
The pie charts below illustrate the distribution of receipts and payments for the foodbank aspect of the running of the charity (see the table: Foodbank payments to 31st December 2025).
Foodbank Receipts 2025
Foodbank Payments 2025
Looking forward
In considering the expected income and expenditure for the year ahead, the trustees are of the opinion that the charity is a going concern, with sufficient funds either in hand or anticipated to meet expected outgoings.
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2025
| Statement of Receipts and Payments | – Year Ended 31st December 2025 | – Year Ended 31st December 2025 | – Year Ended 31st December 2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry | Ministry | Foodbank | Foodbank | 2025 | 2024 | |
| (Unrestricted) | (Restricted) | (Restricted) | (Further | Total | Total | |
| Restricted) | ||||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Receipts | ||||||
| Income from Donations and Legacies | ||||||
| Collection tins/buckets | 1,886 | 1,886 | 6,892 | |||
| Donations (One-off) | 1,041 | 1,110 | 544 | 2,695 | 3,031 | |
| Donations (Regular) | 6,222 | 100 | 7,279 | 13,601 | 21,523 | |
| Donations Box | 462 | 10 | 1,485 | 1,957 | 866 | |
| Donations from organisations | 2,400 | 2,266 | 4,666 | 5,326 | ||
| Donations online fundraising | 7,371 | 7,371 | 10,924 | |||
| Donations from Individuals | 800 | 67 | 4,417 | 5,285 | 2,913 | |
| Gift Aid Claimed | 713 | 2,010 | 2,722 | 7,554 | ||
| Grants: From Grant-Making Charities | 250 | 250 | 1,140 | |||
| Grants: From the Trussell Trust | 797 | 797 | 20,195 | |||
| Grants: Other | 600 | 12,500 | 13,100 | 2,000 | ||
| Sponsored Challenges | 489 | |||||
| Sundry Donations | 145 | 145 | 623 | |||
| Investment Income (inc. bank interest) | ||||||
| Interest Received | 754 | 754 | ||||
| Total Receipts | 11,637 | 1,287 | 30,294 | 12,500 | 55,719 | 82,988 |
| Payments | ||||||
| Cost of Fund-raising | ||||||
| Costs of Fund-raising Events (e.g. Fetes, | 336 | 336 | 432 | |||
| Other Fund-raising costs | 35 | 35 | 0 | |||
| Cost of Governance | ||||||
| Fees (Consultancy, Accountancy, Legal | 503 | 164 | 668 | 448 | ||
| Charitable Activities | ||||||
| Charity Management & Administration | 63 | 881 | 27 | 971 | 1,181 | |
| Charity Running Costs | 810 | 1,906 | 2,715 | 2,757 | ||
| Employee Costs | 19,622 | 1,913 | 21,535 | 44,044 | ||
| Fellowship Support (grants to | 300 | 300 | ||||
| Foodbank (ex. Rent etc.) | 5,480 | 12,039 | 17,519 | 16,378 | ||
| Ministry & Discipleship | 2,972 | 2,972 | 2,023 | |||
| Mission & Outreach | 5,909 | 1,210 | 7,119 | 2,790 | ||
| Worship & Fellowship | 2,809 | 2,809 | 3,124 | |||
| Grants Given to Other Charities | 1,646 | 77 | 1,723 | 2,473 | ||
| Rent, service charge, utilities | 8,748 | 8,849 | 17,597 | 12,408 | ||
| Travel | 590 | 590 | 344 | |||
| Total Payments | 23,760 | 1,287 | 37,863 | 13,978 | 76,889 | 88,402 |
| Other Receipts & Payments | ||||||
| Purchase of Fixed Assets & Investments | 0 | 800 | ||||
| Loan repayments received | 841 | 0 | 841 | 775 | ||
| Loans made | 450 | 0 | 450 | 980 | ||
| All Receipts | 12,478 | 1,287 | 30,294 | 12,500 | 56,560 | 83,763 |
| All Payments | 24,210 | 1,287 | 37,863 | 13,978 | 77,339 | 90,182 |
| Transfers Between Funds | 4,373 | -4,373 | 0 | |||
| Net Movement in Funds | -7,359 | -11,942 | -1,478 | -20,779 | -6,419 | |
| Total Funds Brought Forward | 13,163 | 43,873 | 1,478 | 58,515 | 64,934 | |
| Total Funds Carried Forward | 5,804 | 31,931 | 37,736 | 58,515 |
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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| Statement of assets and liabilities – Year Ended 31st December 2025 | Statement of assets and liabilities – Year Ended 31st December 2025 | Statement of assets and liabilities – Year Ended 31st December 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Funds | Funds | Total | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Cash At Bank And In Hand | 5,804 | 31,931 | 37,736 | 58,515 |
| Other monetary assets | ||||
| Debtors - Loans due to be repaid | 799 | 165 | 964 | 1,355 |
| Fixed assets (after depreciation) | ||||
| Computer Equipment | 121 | 405 | 526 | 1,384 |
| Fixtures & Fittings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Assets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 121 |
| 121 | 405 | 526 | 1505 | |
| Liabilities | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total assets | 6,625 | 32,601 | 39,226 | 61,375 |
Foodbank payments in more detail
Since the foodbank receipts and payments comprise a significant proportion of the total, it is appropriate to provide more detail on the disbursement of payments, as shown below (some are repeated from above).
| Foodbank payments to 31st December 2025 Charity Management & Administration Charity Running Costs Employee Costs Cost of Fund-raising Costs of Other Fund-raising Events (e.g. Fetes, Open Days) Other Fund-raising costs Cost of Governance Foodbank (ex. Rent etc.) Food Purchases Cash to Foodbank clients Household items purchased for clients Foodbank Telecoms (phone, broadband etc.) Printing, Stationery & Postage (Foodbank) Other Expenditure (Foodbank) Volunteer Management Rent, service charge, utilities Travel Purchase of Fixed Assets & Investments All Payments & Asset and investment Purchases |
Foodbank (both funds) 2025 2024 £ £ 909 1,048 1,906 1,545 21,535 41,641 336 432 35 164 75 15,315 12,112 560 860 99 1,420 949 488 549 927 1,296 230 512 8,849 4,038 590 344 800 |
|---|---|
| 53,261 79,149 |
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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Notes to the Accounts
These notes form part of the financial statement.
Funds structure
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity – restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
The Statement of Receipts and Payments report is shown with each fund listed separately, to allow the receipts and payments relating to the foodbank to be seen more easily, instead of all restricted funds being grouped together.
As well as the unrestricted ‘General’ fund there are three restricted funds; a ‘Ministry (Restricted)’ Fund for general ministry donations which are restricted, a ‘Foodbank (Restricted)’ Fund for general donations to the foodbank, as well as a ‘Foodbank (Further Restricted)’ fund where foodbank donations/grants for specific purposes are recorded.
Trustees’ expenses
No expenses were paid to any of the trustees during the year in relation to their role as trustees.
Accounting policies
These accounts for the year ended 31 December 2025, have been prepared on the basis of receipts and payments, along with a statement of assets and liabilities, which is permitted by the relevant legislation in N. Ireland for non-company charities with an income below £250,000.
All receipts (income) are recorded when received and all payments (expenditure) are recorded when paid.
Tangible fixed assets which costed more than £100 are recorded as assets. Equipment is depreciated on a fixed line basis over four years, except for computer and phone purchases which are over three years.
The accounts are shown to the nearest pound, for clarity, in line with normal charity reporting practice.
Gifts in kind
Gifts of food received in kind were 13,926 kg, which is equivalent to £47,766 (based on the rate of £3.43 per kg). This is down 36% from 21,788 kg the previous year (which is equivalent to £68,196 at the revised 2024 figure £3.13 per kg). This is separate from food purchased from cash donations, which is accounted for in the payments and receipts. A small amount of damaged or out of date food was also donated, which was disposed of—that is included in the amount of food donated in kind, but excluded from food distributed.
Grant making policy
Grants to external organisations are made at the church leadership’s discretion, and in accordance with the charitable objectives.
Safeguarding policy
The trustees affirm to maintain awareness amongst our personnel and demonstrate our adherence to an ongoing safeguarding policy implementation which is reviewed annually.
Policy on reserves
It is CGCF’s policy to maintain, if possible, a balance on funds which equates to at least three months essential payments. Reserves above this figure may be maintained to cover fluctuations in receipts and payments, to allow for any major planned or unplanned payments, or to mitigate any decline in the overall financial environment. The balance of cash at bank and in hand, less any liabilities, at year-end was above this. Reserves held should be reviewed if they total more than that of annual payments in the previous year.
Restricted funds are not normally intended to have a balance deficit carried forward into the next year. However, since the foodbank fund is restricted, this will have a balance carried forward. Also, with grants given to the foodbank being in the ‘Foodbank (further restricted)’ fund, where the spending extends across the year end, fund balances will be carried forward. The ‘Ministry (Restricted)’ fund had a small amount donated which was carried over into the following year when it was paid.
It is our policy to keep cash funds in bank current accounts. However, if there is sufficient balance built up for future spending (e.g. building fund), this may be transferred into an interest generating account or an investment fund.
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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Assets and Liabilities
Long term (greater than twelve months) loans outstanding totalled £620 at year end, down from £700 the previous year. There were no liabilities for payments made at the end of December which did not clear at the bank until after the year end.
Trustee indemnity insurance
The trust need (section 4.10) allows for trustee indemnity insurance to be obtained and paid for by the trust. It is included in the charity’s general insurance cover.
Transfer of funds
£4,373 was transferred from the foodbank (restricted) fund to the ministry (unrestricted) fund for discounted costs of using ministry rooms for foodbank purposes, Monday to Friday each week (at 50% discount of cost).
Adjustment of funds brought forward
For the first time at year end, all the various fund 4 income for the foodbank had been spent for their intended purpose (foodbank grants, etc.). Some corrections were needed to allocations of spending in previous years to reach a £0 balance at year end. These were mainly assigning grant and specific spending to fund 4 (£9995 from Belfast City Council grant spending) instead of incorrectly from fund 3. No change of purpose was involved. The brought forward fund balances were adjusted accordingly.
Gift Aid and Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme
Gift Aid claims were made during 2025 for eligible donations until mid-December, with the remainder of eligible donations being claimed during the following year.
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Trustees Edel Diamond (Treasurer) Gerry Diver Gemma O’Neill (Chair)
Senior Elder/Pastor
John Duffy
The address of the ministry and foodbank premises of the charity: 1[st] Floor, 124 Stewartstown Road, Belfast, BT11 9JQ.
The address of the principal office of the charity: 42A Cloona Park, Belfast, BT17 0HH.
Charity registration
Registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC104892. HMRC charity registration number: XT33990
Bankers
Danske Bank, Business Customer Support, 1st Floor, Donegall Sq West, Belfast, BT1 6JS Kingdom Bank, Media House, Padge Road, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2RS
Structure, governance and management
CGCF was established as a charity at law by trust deed, dated 4th March 2012. It was registered with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and is eligible for Gift Aid tax claims from that date.
The Trustees endeavour at all times to meet the aims and objects of the Trust Deed and to comply with the legal requirements and guidance given to registered charities, which is in keeping with the biblical requirement to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us. CGCF is registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. The accounts have been prepared using the Receipts and Payments method of accounting.
CGCF is governed by trustees (under a trust deed) with respect to fulfilling its responsibility under charity law, in consultation with the spiritual leadership which is responsible for governing the life and teaching of the fellowship. The spiritual leadership is the eldership of the fellowship. The pastor/senior elder is John Duffy. The powers of removal of trustees rests with the trustees, while the powers of appointment rest with both the trustees and spiritual leadership. Trustees are normally expected to be selected from within CGCF, to ensure that governance of the charity is closely linked to a clear understanding of the needs and aspirations of the fellowship within the local community.
CGCF has a ‘Council of Reference’, a small (non-executive) group of people external to the charity whose role is to advise the spiritual leadership. In the absence of formal external relationships such as some churches have within a denomination, this offers a channel for external advice and comment.
Day to day decisions on expenditure and activities are made, under the overall oversight of the trustees, by a number of people; the pastor, those with responsibility for different areas of the fellowship’s work such as the foodbank, and directly by the trustees. With a relatively small income and expenditure, after fixed expenditure is taken into account, decisions on minor expenditure are made flexibly throughout the year, and not formally according to fixed budgets. The main requirement is that expenditure is within the means of the fellowship, focused on its current priorities, and aiming to maintain a minimum level of reserves.
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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Risk management
All major insurable risks are subject to normal churches’ and employers’ insurance which is in place. Contractual risks would be reviewed before being agreed, to assess that they would not significantly impact upon the charity’s ability to fulfil its objectives. An annual review of areas of risk is carried out by the trustees in conjunction with those responsible for each area of activity, with risk assessments documented.
Objects and activities
CGCF is registered as a charitable trust. To quote from the trust deed, it is “established for the advancement of education and to promote and advance the Christian Faith for the benefit of the public… in accordance with the statement of faith.” The objects of the charity can be summarised as to advance the Christian faith through provision of worship services, Bible teaching, fellowship events, evangelism including literature distribution, and/or to provide practical/financial support to local and/or overseas relief charities or agencies. In detail, as listed in the trust deed:
The Charity is established for the advancement of education and to promote and advance the Christian Faith for the benefit of the public (hereinafter called “the beneficiaries”) in accordance with the statement of faith, appearing in the schedule appendixed hereto in Schedule 1, in Northern Ireland and other countries that may from time to time be identified (hereinafter called “the area of benefit”) and in particular:
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a) To advance the Christian faith for the benefit of the beneficiaries, through the provision of worship services, prayer events, Bible teaching, fellowship events, the production and/or distribution of literature to enlighten others about the Christian faith, and evangelism, from time to time either alone or in participation with other churches or organisations;
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b) to support by means of financial assistance charities who work overseas in developing countries for the relief of poverty, the relief of sickness and for the protection and preservation of health for the benefit of those in need;
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c) to promote the benefit of the people in the area of benefit either alone or by working in association with other charities and agencies to provide, or assist in the provision, of services for those in need;
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d) to advance any other exclusively charitable purpose as the Trustees may, from time to time, decide in accordance with the law of charity.
We try to enable people to live out their faith within the community, corporately and individually, through some or all of:
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a. Public meetings, in particular Sunday worship services for praise, prayer, preaching, Lord’s Table, fellowship, and midweek fellowship meetings for prayer and Bible study.
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b. Literature evangelism, personal evangelism, prayer including regular prayer meetings, pastoral care including pastoral visitation and guidance, training for specific ministries, social relief ministry, administration, preaching in other churches, and cross-community fellowship.
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c. We also encourage private ministry as salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16) by putting faith into practice at home and at work within the community and beyond.
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d. Of particular importance is South-West Belfast foodbank, through which needy people in the community are given food donated by the public, having been referred to the foodbank by professionals such as social workers.
The work of the fellowship is not limited to that of the spiritual leadership or trustees, but includes the ordinary life of all believers obeying all that Jesus has taught, as the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20) makes clear, according to their abilities and opportunities (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
Approved by the Trustees on ……………………………………. and signed on their behalf by:
……………………………………. Gemma O’Neill (Chair)
……………………………………. Edel Diamond (Treasurer)
Colin Glen Christian Fellowship – Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2025
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