The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, 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)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016)
To advance the Christian faith in accordance with the statement of beliefs appearing in the schedule to the articles hereto in Christchurch and in such other parts of the United Kingdom or the World, as Trustees may from time to time think fit and other such purposes which are exclusively charitable work of the Charity;
To further Christian education in such parts of Christchurch, United Kingdom and the World as the Trustees may from time to time think fit; and
To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interest of social welfare from recreation or other leisure time occupations.
The principal objectives of the charity, as set out in the Trust Deed are:
The preaching of the Gospel.
The nurture of Christian believers.
The nurture of families.
Material and spiritual service to the wider community.
Practical and financial support for the Christian Mission worldwide.
Significant activities
Regular church services, including weekly Family Services.
Regular activities, including an Alpha Course that is designed to promote the Christian Faith in the community and a follow-on course that is designed for those who have completed the Alpha Course.
Regular 'Outreach' events, especially at Christmas and Easter.
Connect groups that are designed to provide both teaching and fellowship for Christians.
Family-oriented activities designed to promote effective parenting.
Regular activities for children and young people. These include both children belonging to church families and those with no church connections. To this end we employ part-time Youth and Children / Families Worker.
Regular activities for Seniors.
Public benefit
The charity acknowledges its requirement to demonstrate clearly that it must have charitable purposes or aims that are for the public benefit. Details of how this has been achieved are detailed elsewhere in the Trustees report. The Trustees confirm that they have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, its supplementary public guidance on the advancement of religion for the public benefit.
Grants
It is the policy of the Trustees not to apply for grants that are derived from various forms of gambling, although they would be prepared to consider accepting a grant from another charitable organisation that was in receipt of such funding.
In addition, they are resolved not to accept funding that has conditions attached to it, especially when these conditions may be in conflict with the core beliefs and values of the Charity.
Volunteers
Volunteers are an integral part of the running of the church with it's varied activities during the week and on Sunday's.
Additional details
The charity receives a small dividend from the Tighe Trust - a long-standing trust fund. This income is committed to work amongst children and young people. The performance of the portfolio is reviewed from time to time.
The charity makes regular donations both to individual Christian workers and to reputable charitable and Christian Mission organisations both in the UK and overseas.
At the beginning of 2024, we continued to enhance the programme of events held both for the church and the community building on the previous year.
We continue to hold services on the Sunday and continue to broadcast our services as a Livestream through YouTube to audiences now joining us both locally and across the world. We have also been recording and broadcasting items through local radio. We have continued to hold our evening service focussing on worship called the ‘worship café’ with new people attending and held baptism services.
In 2024 we have seen an increase in attendance on Sunday morning with new people coming in almost weekly.
Our youth work has continued to grow. The Youth Café for young people is particularly popular among upper junior school ages with over 25 attending weekly, though as the academic year ended a number ended their involvement as new younger children began to attend. Our Youth worker alongside our placement degree students from Moorlands College and volunteers across the church have been working to cater for the needs of young people both in the church and the community with activities on Wednesday afternoons and evenings, Friday evenings and Sunday mornings and working in one secondary school in the area one day a week with another local charity called PACE and in partnership with other churches.
Children’s work continues on a Sunday morning for all ages of children. This has also grown over the course of the year. The midweek under 5s work called Twynham Tots and has continued to grow though the year with a healthy team of volunteers and a café for parents attending from the community.
The ‘Friendship Group’ continues to be popular for people from the community who may otherwise be lonely. This also acts as a ‘Warm Space’ for those struggling to heat their homes and who need a place to meet that is warm and friendly during the cost of living crisis.
We held one Alpha Group in the Autumn term. Alpha is a basic introduction to the Christian faith and was attended by a good number of people this year.
The church has continued to develop the ‘Connect Groups’ (small groups of up to 12-15 people). Connect Groups are smaller elements of church that meet regularly to pray, support and discuss. These meet in various locations across the conurbation.
We have continued to run a men’s breakfast group called Chap’s Chat Cafe meeting on a Thursday morning once a month. We also continue to hold other men’s activities attended by several church men and their friends.
We have also enabled the church to be used by other external groups. These include: Slimming World, NHS retirement fellowship, NHS Diabetes Clinic, Pilates groups, an anxiety group, table tennis group and opportunities for other group events.
In addition, we have held various community events to support people and raise money for the Twynham Community Link building project including: Jumble Sale, a plant sale, a Cream Tea and a very popular ‘Christmas Fair’ all of which were extremely well received and attended raising approximately £10,000 for the Link project.
In September 2024 we commenced the build for phase 1 of the Link Project with a £350,000 new hall being constructed. This was completed mid-2025 with ongoing fund raising for phase 2 to follow.
Our Pastor Rob Watson was released to go on Sabbatical from the end of June to the end of September 2024 and was able to undertake a trip to Japan visiting a missions partner and preaching as well as exploratory trips to a large church in Ohio in the USA for fact finding and study at London School of Theology to bring into the Twynham setting.
Income has increased by £116,275 in the year. £81,200 was received as a grant towards the Link building, and this is classed as restricted income. Regular donations have increased by £10,982, gifts and offerings by £14,450. Expenditure has increased by £29,043, with the majority increase being works to the Manse (£12,546) and grants paid out (£3,989). There was a total surplus for 2024 of £45,014 (2023: £29,226).
At the 31 December 2024, part of the existing building had been demolished, value at 25% of the total church building and showing as disposals in the accounts (£72,097). The new build was in progress and is included in Assets under Construction in the accounts at £160,798.
Financial Risk Management
Through the Church Treasurer, the Trustees have continued to keep all budgets under careful review. The Treasurer draws up an annual budget and he keeps the church informed about progress throughout the year. The elders discuss any major projected expenditure with the Treasurer in advance of any final decision.
Principal funding sources
The Charity relies almost completely on the systematic giving of the membership to cover the day-today expenditure (including staffing), a significant proportion of which is gift-aided. In addition, in 2024 there have been specific gifts and grants received to fund the new building.
Reserves policy
At the year end the charity had total reserves of £1,411,866, of which £316,676 were restricted. General unrestricted free reserves after removing tangible fixed assets and investment property amounted to £50,883.
It is the policy of the Trustees to keep in reserve such sums of money that are adequate to meet essential expenditure for a period of approximately three months. Amongst other things, this covers staffing costs and the cost of utilities. At the year end the Church is holding in excess of three months expenditure as they are expecting extensive works to be undertaken in the coming few years.
Governing document
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and is governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association which were adopted on its incorporation on 22 August 2007.
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:
Recruitment and appointment of new trustees
The power to appoint new trustees is vested in the existing trustees.
Organisational structure
The elders of the church are responsible for day-to-day management and for the spiritual oversight of the church members. The elders work with the trustees in order to ensure that the church achieves its charitable objectives, to ensure that it observes its statutory responsibilities in relation to Child Protection and Health and Safety, and to ensure that the church finances remain sound. The elders are key management personnel.
A Finance Team handles the church's revenue and expenditure on a day-to-day basis and it advises the elders and trustees of any issues that need to be addressed. The Treasurer also serves as a Trustee.
Trustees holding title to property
The property is held for the charity by four ex-trustees.
Risk management
The Trustees are satisfied that the risks faced by the Charity are manageable and the strategies that have been adopted so far have proved to be adequate to meet any foreseeable eventuality. They have ensured that the Charity has an appropriate level of insurance cover for buildings, contents and third-party liability.
Safeguarding
The Safeguarding Team has worked hard to consolidate our understanding of our statuary responsibilities with regard to the protection of vulnerable individuals, including children, young people and Seniors. An annual training session is designed to ensure all volunteers are aware of any recent changes in legislation.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Twynham Church For The Community 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 charity 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;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity 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 charity 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 charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Twynham Church For The Community (the charity) for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity 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 charity’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.
Since the charity’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 the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, 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 charity 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 accounts 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.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Twynham Church For The Community is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 99 Barrack Road, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 2AL, England.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, 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)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity 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 charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, [modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value]. 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 charity 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.
Designated funds comprise funds which have been set aside at the discretion of the trustees for specific purposes. The purposes and uses of the designated funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors 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.
- income from donations, grants or fundraising are recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift/income, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably. Where terms or conditions are attached to the grant, income is only recognised to the extent that the charity has provided the specified goods or services.
- legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established.
- rental income is measured at the amount receivable for the period.
- all other income is recorded gross when receivable.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, 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 classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
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 cost 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.
Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.
Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity are capitalised if they cost at least £500 and can be used for more than one year.
The Trustees have re-assessed the basis upon which land and buildings are depreciated. Neither land or buildings have previously been depreciated as the market value was deemed to be in excess of the carrying value. The trustees have reviewed this and now consider the useful life of the buildings to be 75 years and will depreciate the building element, deemed to be 40% of the property value, on this basis.
Investment property, which is property held to earn rentals and/or for capital appreciation, is initially recognised at cost, which includes the purchase cost and any directly attributable expenditure. Subsequently it is measured at fair value at the reporting end date. The surplus or deficit on revaluation is recognised in profit or loss.
Fixed asset investments are initially measured at transaction price excluding transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at fair value at each reporting date. Changes in fair value are recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred.
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews 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, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
Debtors and creditors
Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
Gifts
Gift aid
Church activities
Supporting individuals and charities
Light and heat
Housekeeping and maintenance
Other office costs
Outreach
Sunday school and youth activities
Sundry
Pastor expenses
Speaker expenses
Licences
Manse
Training
Church activities
Church activities
Insurance
Governance costs includes payments to the independent examiner of £3,000 (2023- £2,700) for independent examination fees.
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.
Trustees' expenses
Two trustees (2023 - one) had expenses relating to general costs reimbursed during the year amounting to £220 (2023 - £125).
Trustees' donations
During the year the charity received donations of £19,637 (2023 - £15,654) from the trustees.
On 20/08/24, one trustee made a loan of £16,000 to the charity. This was repaid in full on 28/10/24 and no interest was charged.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
Total Key Management remuneration for the year, including trustees remuneration detailed above, was £61,139 (2023 - £58,883).
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The Manse, previously occupied by the pastor, is held as an investment property as it is now rented to a third party. The property was transferred from property, plant and equipment to investment property during 2016 at its previous valuation of £325,000. As at the 31 December 2016 the property was revalued by a Chartered Surveyor at £395,000 and a fair value adjustment was included in 2017. The Trustees believe that the value of the Manse at 31 December 2024 remains £395,000. No taxation is provided on the fair value adjustment due to the exemption available for the charity under Section 485 CTA 2010.
There were no investment assets outside the UK.
The investments shown above are held at valuation.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
Youth Worker
Funds received to support the Youth Worker salary.
Special Gifts Fund
Funds are raised to support various organisations within the community.
Tithe Fund
10% of income from weekly offerings and standing orders are redistributed to charitable causes by the Elders.
Twynham Tots (previously Little Ladybirds)
Funds raised for the baby and toddler group.
Link Building Fund
Funds are raised for a new project designed to replace the existing building and add new facilities.
Youth Cafe
Funds raised to covert the loft space into a Youth Cafe.
Other restricted funds
Other funds are set up as and when the Church considers necessary. They are usually one off funds and the income is expended once received.
Transfers between funds
During the year there have been small transfers between funds, the prior year includes a larger transfer from the Youth Cafe fund, representing building works to convert the loft into a Cafe.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
A designated repair fund had been created to meet future repair and maintenance expenditure on the buildings, and has been expended in 2024.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2023 - none).