The House of Bread (Warwickshire) - Charities report

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 12530939 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1193363

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024

for

The House of Bread (Warwickshire)

Page

Report of the Trustees

1

to

2

Independent Examiner's Report

3

Statement of Financial Activities

4

Balance Sheet

5

to

6

Notes to the Financial Statements

7

to

11

The House of Bread (Warwickshire) can be found on the edge of the Cotswolds in beautiful south Warwickshire countryside. Our extensive site has provided peace and tranquillity for day and residential guests for the past 28 years, offering beautiful gardens and grounds with a river, meeting rooms, and 19 en-suite bedrooms.

The vision of The House of Bread is to be a place where guests can encounter the presence of God, being restored and transformed. The vision aligns with our charitable objectives to advance the Christian faith and meet the spiritual needs of the public through the life and hospitality of a Christian community.

We welcome all who want to retreat from daily life and explore or go deeper into the Christian faith. Guests can take time in quietness and stillness and grow closer to God, and be spiritually strengthened and emotionally renewed. They can receive pastoral guidance and prayer as well as gather with others for fellowship, worship, and prayer. The House of Bread hosts events that guests can come to. This includes guided retreats, prayer spaces, art days and teaching events.

Groups can also book to come on a time of retreat or host their own event. The groups who came to The House of Bread in 2024 were from churches of different Christian denominations, and various charities and organisations. They took time to pray and have fellowship together and to prepare and plan the way ahead for the vision and mission of their organisations, in serving and supporting people in the UK and worldwide, including the persecuted church and people, groups, and communities who are marginalised and vulnerable.

The community life of The House of Bread continues to flourish. The wider team are a highly valued part of the work of the charity. The small on-site staff work alongside a paid housekeeping team and bookings administrator. Several committed regular volunteers work within the site maintenance team and gardening team. There is further support from volunteers within the retreat and prayer ministry and hospitality team.

The approximate numbers for 2024 were 1,600 day guests and 1,500 residential guests. This included about 35 small leadership teams, about 250 individual people on retreat and 700 guests to House of Bread events (guided retreat days, teaching days, and Abiding sessions, and prayer groups). The numbers for day guests were similar to 2023. Residential groups in 2024 were up by around 150 people and individual day guests on retreat by around 60 individuals.

Guests are asked to pay set charges for the use of the facilities. There are bursaries available for those who are unable to afford these charges, which along with other donations are the main source of income for the House of Bread. The trustees and staff have worked hard over the previous year to maintain and indeed grow the income of the charity via its charitable activities. This has ensured that The House of Bread had sufficient resources for increased staff and costs as well as planning for projects around the site and in respect of advertising for the charitable activities. The trustees note that the income figures appear to have decreased year on year from 2023. This is a result of funds moving from the previous charitable structure to the new incorporated charity. Day to day income - aside from funds moved - is up in comparison with 2023.

Projects during the year have focussed on:

- New bathroom, windows, and maintenance to staff accommodation

- New flooring and updates in en-suite bathrooms in guest accommodation

- Refurbishment of self-catering kitchen for guests

- Refurbishment of new reception/office

- Repairs to the ground source heating system

- Launch of a new website

- Development of the grounds and gardens, with additional seating areas, including a fire pit area for guests to gather.

Plans for 2025 include:

- Repairs to the cottage roofs as and when funds are available.

- Beginning to renovate the Forge (at the end of the main Mill building) for which planning permission has been granted. This will provide two further meeting rooms for guests further enhancing the facilities on offer.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

12530939 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1193363

Registered office

1 Mill House

Burmington

Shipston on Stour

Warwickshire

CV36 5AF

Trustees

Mr R S Akers

Mrs A M Akers

Mrs D A Clarke (resigned 23.10.24)

Mrs E Harvey

Mrs L J Isgrove Church Leader

Mrs R M Matthews

Mr G Matthews

Mr R Lee (appointed 24.1.24)

Mr A J Kerr (appointed 24.11.24)

Independent Examiner

Francis & Co

Second Floor

123 Promenade

Cheltenham

Gloucestershire

GL50 1NW

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 24 September 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

Mr G Matthews - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The House of Bread (Warwickshire) ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the 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 your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

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:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts 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

4.

the accounts 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 accounts to be reached.

Warren Francis ACA

Francis & Co

Second Floor

123 Promenade

Cheltenham

Gloucestershire

GL50 1NW

24 September 2025

31.12.24

31.12.23

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

172,929

-

172,929

221,038

Investment income

2

5

-

5

-

Total

172,934

-

172,934

221,038

EXPENDITURE ON

Raising funds

3

162,293

-

162,293

161,040

NET INCOME

10,641

-

10,641

59,998

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

229,998

-

229,998

170,000

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

240,639

-

240,639

229,998

31.12.24

31.12.23

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

FIXED ASSETS

Tangible assets

8

170,116

-

170,116

170,233

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

9

4,722

-

4,722

3,418

Cash at bank and in hand

93,181

1,312

94,493

68,607

97,903

1,312

99,215

72,025

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

10

(27,380

)

(1,312

)

(28,692

)

(12,260

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

70,523

-

70,523

59,765

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES

240,639

-

240,639

229,998

NET ASSETS

240,639

-

240,639

229,998

FUNDS

11

Unrestricted funds

240,639

229,998

TOTAL FUNDS

240,639

229,998

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2024.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 24 September 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

Mr G Matthews - Trustee

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

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.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Computer equipment

-

33% on cost

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

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.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

2.	INVESTMENT INCOME

31.12.24

31.12.23

£

Deposit account interest

5

-

3.	RAISING FUNDS

Raising donations and legacies

31.12.24

31.12.23

£

Support costs

148,085

134,904

Investment management costs

31.12.24

31.12.23

£

Property repairs

14,092

26,020

Aggregate amounts

162,293

161,040

4.	NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):

31.12.24

31.12.23

£

Depreciation - owned assets

117

116

5.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 December 2024 nor for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 December 2024 nor for the year ended 31 December 2023.

6.	STAFF COSTS

31.12.24

31.12.23

£

Wages and salaries

35,971

28,699

Other pension costs

12,518

357

48,489

29,056

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

31.12.24

31.12.23

Employees

6

2

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

7.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

fund

funds

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

221,038

-

221,038

EXPENDITURE ON

Raising funds

161,040

-

161,040

NET INCOME

59,998

-

59,998

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

170,000

-

170,000

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

229,998

-

229,998

8.	TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Freehold

Computer

property

equipment

Totals

£

COST

At 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024

170,000

349

170,349

DEPRECIATION

At 1 January 2024

-

116

Charge for year

-

117

At 31 December 2024

-

233

NET BOOK VALUE

At 31 December 2024

170,000

116

170,116

At 31 December 2023

170,000

233

170,233

9.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.12.24

31.12.23

£

Trade debtors

4,595

3,160

Other debtors

127

258

4,722

3,418

10.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.12.24

31.12.23

£

Other creditors

27,492

11,600

Accruals and deferred income

1,200

660

28,692

12,260

11.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

movement

At

At 1.1.24

in funds

31.12.24

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

229,998

10,641

240,639

TOTAL FUNDS

229,998

10,641

240,639

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

172,934

(162,293

)

10,641

TOTAL FUNDS

172,934

(162,293

)

10,641

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

movement

At

At 1.1.23

in funds

31.12.23

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

170,000

59,998

229,998

TOTAL FUNDS

170,000

59,998

229,998

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

221,038

(161,040

)

59,998

TOTAL FUNDS

221,038

(161,040

)

59,998

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

Net

movement

At

At 1.1.23

in funds

31.12.24

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

170,000

70,639

240,639

TOTAL FUNDS

170,000

70,639

240,639

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

393,972

(323,333

)

70,639

TOTAL FUNDS

393,972

(323,333

)

70,639

12.	RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 December 2024.