Company registration number.. N1641493 Charity registration number: 107843 Living Branch Ministries known as The Way Bible College (A company limited by guarantee) Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 June 2024
Living Branch Ministries known as The Way Bible College Contents Reference and Administrative Details Trustees, Report 2to9 Independent Exan)iner's Report io ststement of Financial Activities Balance Sheet 12 Notes to the Financial Statements 13to19
Living Branch Ministries ILnown as The Way Bible College Reference and Administrative Details Trustees Jeannie Diane Hartley Mallory Anne Richardson Samuel Patrick Hartley Bruce Richardson Secretary Samuel Patrick Hartley Charlty Registrntion Number 107843 Company Registration Number N1641493 Registered orriee 43 E&st Mount Newtownards BT23 8SE Independent Examlner Mr John Hoyle 4 Brackenwood Drive Belfast BT8 6SQ Page I
Living Branch Ministries known as The Way Blble College Trustees, Report Trustees and officers Th¢ trustees and officers serving dwing the year and since the year end were as follows: Trustees: Jeannie Diane Hartley Mallory Anne Richardson Samuel Patrick Hartley Bruce Richardson Secretary: Samuel Patrick Hartley Statement of trustees, ruponslbllitles The trustees (who are also the directors of Living Branch Ministries for the purposes of company law) ar¢ responsible for preparing the trustees. report and the fllwicial ststements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generdlly Acccpt¢d Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" The report and accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions in the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. Company law requires the trustees to prepare fuian¢ial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of th¢ state of affairs of th¢ charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these fanCIal statements, the trustees are required to: select suitable accounting policies and apply them consist¢ntly; observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP. make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. state whether applicable accounting stsndaTds, comprising FRS 102 have been followe(t subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. and prepare the fmancial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitsblc company will continue ID business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with re&sonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements omply with the Companies Act 2006and Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsibl¢ for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial inforniation included on the charitable company's website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. Small companies provision statement Thi5 report h&s been prepared in accordance with the small compani¢s regime under the Companies Act 2006. Page 2
Living Branch Minlstries known as The Way Bible College Trnstees, Report The atmual report was approved by the trustses of the charity on 10 February 2025 and Sied on its behalf by: Samuel Patrick Hartley Company secretary and trstee Page 3
Living Branch Ministries known as The Way Bible College Trustees, Report Report of the tfttees (including Directors report) for the year ending 30 June 2024 Th¢ Trustee5 and Directors of the charitable company for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, have pleasur¢ in presenting their report with the unaudited fman¢ial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 30 June 2024. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), effective l January 2019 (Charities SORP 2019 (FRS 102)), in preparing th¢ annual report and financial statements of the charitable company. which are also prepared to meet the r¢quir¢m¢nts for a directors, report and accounts for company and charity law purposes. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Company Registration number N1641493 (Northern Ireland) HMRC Charity Registration number N101150 Charity Commission for Nl Registration number NIC107843 Registered office 43 East Mount Newtomrywds BT23 8SE Directors The Directors who served the charitable Company during the year and up to the date of approval were as follows: Diane Hartley Sam Hartley Mallory Richardson Bruce Richardson Page 4
Living Branch Ministries known as The Way Bible College Trustees, Report tndependent Examiner John Hoyle FCCA 4 Brackenwood Drive Belfast BT8 6SQ Bankers Ulster Bank 11-16 Donegall Sq E&8t Belfast BTI SUB STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing do¢ument Living Branch Ministries fonned a company limited by guarante¢, with company number N1641493 on 17 October 2016 and registered as a charity with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC107843 on 17th May 2021 The company is governed by its Articles of Association. Organisational structure Living Branch Ministries h&g a Board of Tntee5 which meets fonnally a minimum of twice a year and is r¢sponsible for the strategic dir¢ction and policy of th¢ charity. There were two meetings of the directors in this accounting period. For the period covering this report the Board bad four members. The daY-tdaY management and operation of activities is carried out by the founders of Living Branch Ministries Sam and Diane Hartley. Recruitment and Appointment of Board of Directors The Directors of the company Sam and Diane Hartley are also charity Trustees for the purposes of charity law. The Directors of the company are elected through the consideration of other Directors and based upon examination of their Christian faith, character and conduct. The present Directors have a good knowledge of the ministy, how it operates and its plans and vision for the futtwe. They have shown strong leadership in their contribution to the decision making within the miDiSty as well as in how they serve in the ministy in tenns of leading and participation in various aspects of the ministy. They are keen to ensure that their contribution. and that of th¢ ministy itself always benefits and adds value to those impacted by Living Branch Ministries. The Directors are committed to the ministy, as evidenced by their contribution as Directors, attendance at meetings and how they help others within the ministy. Page 5
Living Branch Ministries Imown as The Way Bible College Trustees, Report Risk Management The Board assessed the major risks to which the charitable company is expos¢d, in particular those related to its operations and finances, and systems and procedures have been established to mitigate those risks. PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT The Trustees have complied with the duty to have due regard to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's statutory guidance on the public benefit requirement issued under the Charities Act (Nl) 2008. ORJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES The year to 30 June 2024 has been one of continued charitable activities and provision of Public Benefit in many areas. The Trustees would like to thank all volunteers. staff, and all involved with the Charitys activities this year. In this operating year Living Branch Ministries continued their Tuesday evening Bible study with the use of Zoom which enables the group to meet as many would not be able to attend because of travel ditTiculties. The Way Bible College continued to use the premises of Urban Grace Church York Road Belfasl until 1st January 2024 when Living Branch Ministries became the sole tenants of the York Road Premises. The Trustees would like to thank Pastors, Craig and Tracey Seawright for their continued supporL and in assisting with a smooth transition. The college is regulated and accredited by Open College Network Northern Ireland. and all appropriate updates to comply wlth OCN regulations have been met. Our aim is to make learning accessible and affordable to anyone who wishes to learn how to fully realise their potential through understanding scientific and biblical principles that govern life to ¢nhance their own quality of life and develop their God-given purpose. The course is designed to unlock and nurture potential that students may not have had previous opportunity to develop but also can build on previous learning that students may not have had the opportunity to take forward and use. The course is open to anyone with a desire to learn. Accessibility to the course is of paramount importance to us. therefore we offer 3 learning pathways [Endorsed OCN courses at levels 3 and 2 (and a Certifica* of Attendance for those who feel they are not academically inclined but wish to learn)]. The specific aims and objectives of Living Branch Ministries are as follows: • The prevention or relief of poverty . The advancement of education . The advancement of religion The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age. ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage Page 6
Living Branch Ministries known as The Way Bible College Trustees, Report ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Below is a brief report on how Living Branch Ministries has fulfilled our aims and objectives: vention or relief of ve The above objective h&s been met by: We are committed to improving the quality of life of individuals through teaching principles that develop potential (i.e. understanding personal worth through identity) and teach life skills that serve to protect life (i.e. setting boundaries in life). build confidence (i.e. through identifying and utilising untapped skills). We believe that if we equip individuals with skills they Can use to improve employability an(Vor for p¢rsonal development then this serves to develop all areas of life. A number of our students are from disadvantsged economic backgrounds and do not have access to computers or internet. We are currently working with these students to teach them basic Word processing skills using borrowed equipment. We are also working with students who have a history of addiction. sign postin& making referrals and offering continued support and educating on its harniful effects and boundary setting. We also include life skills training such as budgeting. We also welcom¢ r¢sidents from a local nursing home. where they come for fellowship refreshments and prayer. The advancement of E The above objective has been met by: Direct benefits include training and equipping for people's benefiL as well as for their families and the community by way of personal developmenL education, equipping for further education jobs, and preparation for life and Christian ministy. Tuesday night Bible study continues to take place on Zoom where all attendees are encouraged to participate in the study and bring forward their own understanding of the scriptur¢. During the reporting period the group h&s continued with a deep study of the book of Revelation. Within the Bible College we have provided I to I tuition for I student to help solidify principles learned whilst in rehabilitatio to help create a sound foundation and promote a healthier lifcstyle. This student graduated from his first year of studies, which is a significant milestone as he had no fornial education. We have also supported this student with family mediation, signposting for counsellin& and housing and employment concerns. We have encouraged students to develop their gifts and skillset through prnctical sessions wh¢reby they have the opportunity to practise their strengths. Additionally we hav¢ used the skills of other students &8 mentors which have also helped develop their confidence. . We have a number of students who have not completed fonnal education or earned qualifications and with I to I tuition andlor mentoring these students have made significani progress towards completing their portfolio5. . We have also provided skills training for students with the potential to teach. The advancement of Reli ion: The above objective has been met by: Page 7
Living Branch Ministries known as Tbe Way Bible College Trustees, Report As a Christian organisation we provide a Tuesday nigbt bible study (via zoom), and we have set up a Bible College in conjunction with our church and through the Open College Network (OCN), wh¢r¢by we incorporate the advancement of Christian principles with an OCN endorsed course. The purpose of the College is to help teach people their true identities according to God's original blueprint for their life and scientific principles. We aim to equip people to change established negative thinking patterns and replace them with healthy productive ones tbat will help individual overcome challenging circumstances. We believe that what we offer is a uniqu¢ integrated learning experience to combine contextual biblical knowledge with related practical teaching that equip students to fmd and establish their destiny and puOSe, whilst building character and confidence to empower them to make necessary adjustments to enhance their quality of life, improve relationships. reduce stress and improve employability opporninities. The relief of those In need b isyddvanta reason of outh a 11-health disabili rinanci shi or other The above objective has been met by: We currently have around 15 students with a mix of full and part-time students. Current students are from various backgrounds, abilities, and cultures. We have 5 different nationalities repres¢nted within this group [English, Irish, Filipino, Finnish, and African] with 3 students having English as their second language. At least five students are over 65 years of age. The college has several students with disabilities which are all catered for. Futur Plans for The Wa Bible Coll This year we have transitioned from sharing the premises with Urban Grace Ministrtes to assuming full tenancy, which enabled us to have visible signage on display, and set up pernwent classrooms to enable the second year classes to run from September 2024. We envisage continued growth of the College as current students have reported significant improvement in their mentsl health, ability to set healthy boundaries and general stsbility in their well-being and coping with life's challenges. Many have observed that the College provides a safe place with a community atmosphere. It would be our hope that we will continue to grow and provide this wide variety of support and education in future years. We hope to secure our own premises to facilitate the projected expansion. FINANCIAL REVIEW Financial Position The accounts on pages 11-19 set out the income and expenditure of the charitable company, as well as its financial position at the year end. The account5 show an overall surplus of £7,899 for the year in unrestricted fimds, there being no restricted fimds. The totsl unrestricted fund5 are £11,598 as at 30th June 2024. Going Concern After making appropriate enquirie5, the Trustees have a rSonable expectation that the charitable cornpany has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern b&sis in preparing the fitthncial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern b&sis can be found in the Accounting Policies. Page 8
Living Branch Ministries known as The Way Bible College Trustees, Report STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES. RESPONsIBILtEs The Trustees and the Directors of Living Branch Ministries for the purposes of company law ar¢ responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial slatements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom AoUntIng Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the stste of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that p70d. In preparing those fmancial statements, the Directors are required to Select suitable accounting polici¢s and then apply them CODSiStently. Observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP 2015 (FRS102). Make judgements and estimates that are r¢&sonable and prudent. State whether applicable United Kingdom Ac¢ounting sLdards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. IPrepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to Ipresume that the charitable ¢ompany continue in operation, The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accowiting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the fmancial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the fmancial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the haritable company and hence for tsking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. INDEPENDENT EXAMINER John Hoyle FCCA will be proposed for re-appointment at the forthcoming Annual General Meetin& SMALL COMPANY PROVISIONS This report has been prepared in ac¢ordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. Approved by order of the board Of TnteeS 28 February 2025. Sam Hartley Director Diane Hartley Director Page 9