The trustees present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies on page 7 and 8 and comply with the charity’s trust deed and applicable law.
The charity is run by the trustees and senior pastor who meet regularly throughout the year. Trustees are appointed for an unspecified period, any vacancies being filled by the selection and appointment of suitable persons by the trustees.
The church leadership constitution is both functional and spiritual: Senior Pastors; Pastors; Elders; Deacons and Stewards. Supporting this structure are department heads and groups of helpers which include; worship team, youth, TV and AV, design, hospitality, overseers, greeters, parking attendants, etc. Everyone is fully committed to making each service run smoothly.
Affiliation
The charity is not affiliated to any other charity.
Cornerstone Ministries continues to advance the Christian religion in Elmbridge, Surrey in accordance with our Trust deed. The work of the ministry has been effective in the local area throughout the year and has shown positive and encouraging progress. Many new families are attending the Sunday services and those in need are being helped both spiritually and practically. There has been a visible and sustained growth with the regular attendance of adults, youth and young children.
Cornerstone has attracted people from up to forty different nations; ranging from the very young to the elderly. It has a physical congregation, who attend regularly, and a virtual congregation, who engage over our YouTube channel. The average weekly attendance across both these gatherings is approximately 450 adults, up to 25 children between the ages of 5 and 15 attending Kidzone, and in addition to this, a crèche that caters for 15 babies during a service. There is also a large and enthusiastic group of young adults and teenagers in the church who get together outside of the Sunday services for social events. The Food Storehouse has supplied meals to hundreds of families over the year. All the above are made easily accessible to the community at large.
Meetings and special events were being held throughout the year – both at weekends and during the week. Many have been covered by the local press and reviewed very favourably. In accordance with the objectives of the charity, such meetings are always open to the public and have included preaching, testimony, songs of praise, and music items.
Other activities running during each week, include: Monday evening - Prayer Group; Tuesday evening – Bible College; Wednesday evening - Worship Team rehearsal - Media Department Training Sessions; Friday evening - Youth fellowship; Saturday morning – Men’s Breakfast.
Cornerstone seeks to be an asset to the local community, particularly in support of the “family unit” through practical teaching and training. The church focuses on each family’s needs, but at the same time, reaches out to people in impossible situations - drawing them into a loving and friendly circle of hope, where answers are found and acceptance is given. The vision is to impact on modern society by strengthening the family and equipping people to positively affect the community.
The church is truly integrated, and it is therefore, working and partnering with other charities and local organisations in order to reach out and meet the needs of the local community. These include; Compassion, Metro World Child, Elmbridge Borough Council, Princess Alice Hospice, Manor Mead school board of Trustees, Brooklands College, Barnados, Grace Dear Charity, Oasis Child Care, FareShare, Elmbridge Citizens Advice, The Brain Tumour Charity, and Rent Start.
We are building the church of tomorrow today! Therefore, Cornerstone has future generations in mind when planning long term. It has a modern cutting edge approach to everything it does, and this is achieved by using the best technology currently available. The church believes that the gospel message never changes, however, the method of delivery does! With the church being positioned right in the middle of the community it has tremendous potential to reach out and seize opportunities to touch those in the immediate vicinity - which makes this its vision very practical in its outworking! The Senior Pastor states:
o Our desire is to connect the love, care and protection of God to each member of the family. We intend to demonstrate the family-heart of Cornerstone towards every person no matter what their background, colour or creed.
o Our challenge is to identify the needs of these precious people and help to facilitate and supply their necessities and basic requirements.
o Our sincere aspiration is to integrate every man, woman and child into the church family. This can be achieved by satisfying the sense of belonging and the essential necessity to feel accepted. This is evidenced by the number of nations currently attending the church.
The Trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and all correct procedures have been implemented.
The Trustees met six times during this accounting period and exercised due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and all correct procedures have been implemented. Minutes of meetings were submitted.
The results for the year are shown in the financial statements.
It is the policy of the charitable company that free unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
Risk management
The trustees confirm that they have given consideration to the major risks to which the charity was exposed post-pandemic and that systems have been designed and established to mitigate those risks.
Reserves and assets
Other than cash in the Bank, the charity has no reserves that are not invested in fixed and current assets. The trustees regularly review the current level of reserves held by the charity and are satisfied that they are appropriate to its current circumstances.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption.
The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Cornerstone Ministries for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state 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 year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. 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.
I report to the trustees (who are also Directors for the purpose of company law) on my examination of the financial statements of Cornerstone Ministries (the charitable company) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and related notes.
This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity’s trustees those matters I am required to state to them in this report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for my work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charitable company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charitable company’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
An independent examination does not involve gathering all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently does not cover all the matters that an auditor considers in giving their opinion on the financial statements. The planning and conduct of an audit goes beyond the limited assurance that an independent examination can provide. Consequently I express no opinion as to whether the financial statements present a ‘true and fair’ view and my report is limited to those specific matters set out in the independent examiner’s statement.
Since the charitable company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charitable company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
Other expenditure
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Cornerstone Ministries is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 38 Station Avenue, Walton on Thames, Surrey, KT12 1NU.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 and “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 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The company has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charitable company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives unless the funds have been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charitable company has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Gifts in kind
The church received the benefit of work carried out by volunteers without charge. No value is placed on this voluntary labour.
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year.
At each reporting end date, the trustees review the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand and deposits held at call with banks.
The has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the balance sheet when the becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charitable company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
In the application of the charitable company’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods. These would be in respect of asset lives and depreciation and the recoverability of debtors.
Advancing Christianity
Accountancy costs
Legal and professional fees
Support costs are apportioned based on the charity's time spent furthering each charitable activity.
None of the trustees received any remuneration or benefits from the charitable company during the year.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
During the two years ended 31 March 2024 no employees received a total employment benefit of more than £60,000.
Other expenditure
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The bank loan is secured by fixed charges over the freehold property at 38 Station Avenue, Walton on Thames, Surrey, KT12 1NU. The loan is interest only with the principal balance repayable in full within one year.
Rev C Demetriou is the senior Pastor and founder of Cornerstone Ministries. He is married to Mrs L Demetriou who is also a founder and a secretary of the charity and are considered key management personnel.
During the year Mrs L Demetriou was paid £18,000 (2023: £18,000) under a contract of employment for her services.
Under the contract of employment Rev C Demetriou was remunerated a gross amount of £40,728 (2023: £40,728) for his services.