The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the Trust's Memorandum, 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 2015)”
The objectives of the Myrtlefield Trust, as stated in the Myrtlefield Trust Memorandum of Association, are:
1) The propagation and dissemination, in all parts of the world, of the truths and doctrines of the Christian Faith.
2) The furtherance and encouragement, in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and abroad, of Christian teaching and education and advancement of the Christian Faith.
Specifically, the Trust focuses on the truths and doctrines of the Christian Faith as explained and expounded in the archive of books, writings, audio and video recordings authored by the late Prof David Gooding, and in some cases co-authored with Prof John Lennox (known as the Myrtlefield Archive). Most of the resources in the Archive are in English, but it also contains an increasing number of translations of selected English books from the Archive into other languages.
In pursuit of these objectives, the Trustees have undertaken the following three main activities.
1) Propagation and dissemination of Myrtlefield Trust books
The Myrtlefield Trust undertakes the publishing of the Myrtlefield Archive as English Resources, in two main ways:
(i) The printing and distribution of selected books from the Archive in various parts of the world. The Trust uses a range of publication and distribution models, including direct printing and delivery by Myrtlefield Trust, joint funding with other Trusts, and partnerships with third party publishing houses.
(ii) Increasingly, publication is online, via three websites. In some cases, we make use of direct to customer service of major print-on-demand providers.
2) Transcription of Myrtlefield Trust books
The Trust manages the translation of selected books from the Myrtlefield Archive into other languages. This is in keeping particularly with Objective 1 above: the propagation and dissemination, in all parts of the world, of the truths and doctrines of the Christian Faith. We aim to make these Translated Resources available in languages where we see a clear need and there exists a desire from readers in that language.
3) Development of additional resources from the Myrtlefield Archive
Much of the Myrtlefield Archive is in the form of audio and video recordings of teaching on the Christian Faith by David Gooding, in English, and transcripts of the same. The Myrtlefield Trust works to see this material converted into books of David Gooding’s teaching targeted at three audiences: beginner, intermediate and advanced, with books of corresponding length.
All of these aspects of the work are in keeping particularly with Objective 2 above: the furtherance and encouragement, in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and abroad, of Christian teaching and education and advancement of the Christian Faith.
The Myrtlefield Trust operates three websites that make available the online publications from the Myrtlefield Archive:
www.myrtlefieldhouse.com This high bandwidth website continues to reach new and existing audiences across the globe. It makes available a major part of the books, transcripts and audio recordings from the Myrtlefield Archive. Online resources are made available free of charge and traditional print books can be purchased through partner distributors and independent bookshops.
mh316.com The design of this site is intended to serve those who have access only to a low bandwidth internet connection.
www.myrtlefieldespanol.com Currently, this site has seven of our Spanish books available.
Together, the three websites are intended to make available a significant portion of the resources from the Myrtlefield Archive, including: books (in various machine-readable formats, and in various languages), transcripts, audio and video recordings, and translations of printed resources.
Website development, including occasional redesigns and re-hosting, is an ongoing process. The Trust has sought to develop in-house web design capability to deliver the material via its websites in a more cost-effective manner while allowing for greater flexibility to accommodate new resources.
This activity contributes to both Objectives 1 and 2 above.
The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the Trust should undertake.
Achievements and Performance
1) Propagation and dissemination of Myrtlefield Trust books in English
During 2025, the Myrtlefield Trust undertook the printing and/or distribution (whether directly or through print-licensing) of selected books in the Myrtlefield archive in:
· Africa
· South, Central and North America
· Asia
· Middle East
· Australia/Oceania
· Europe
Digital versions of several new sermon transcripts, print and digital versions of new editions of the four book Encounters series (including a Study Guide for Key Bible Concepts) were published and made available across our platforms. Editing work continued on a single volume containing all that David Gooding taught on John’s Gospel, as well as on smaller books introducing the big picture of books of the Bible.
2) Translation of Myrtlefield Trust books
In 2025 Myrtlefield’s titles continued to be translated and published in Albanian, Arabic, Dutch, German, Russian and Spanish, with books completed or initiated in each language. A translation of the devotional Bringing us to Glory is underway in Albanian. Brethren Publishing House in Cairo is completing four titles (According to Luke, An Unshakeable Kingdom, The Riches of Divine Wisdom, Christianity: Opium or Truth?), bringing the Arabic list to fourteen books. Editing of a Dutch translation of Key Bible Concepts was underway. German partners continue to complete the back catalogue of our titles, with interest in new ones as they become available. Editing of our books in Russian continued. Seven updated Spanish titles are now available on MyrtlefieldEspanol.com as free ebooks and for sale in hard copy, with An Unshakeable Kingdom and According to Luke soon to follow, True to the Faith awaiting final proof, and Journeys with Jesus ready for editing.
3) Development of additional resources from the Myrtlefield Archive
Throughout the year, the websites continued to be updated with new material, and resources from all three were accessed worldwide.
Sermon audio on myrtlefieldhouse.com recorded 20,360 plays in 2025, alongside 3,770 downloads, with downloads up 23% year on year despite an 18% drop in plays. These listens and downloads came from a wide spread of countries, led by the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Singapore, and Ireland, but including dozens of nations across every continent.
The combined total of sermon audio and podcast plays reached 42,682, representing a 13.2% increase on 2024 and confirming sustained appetite for Myrtlefield’s biblical teaching.
Biblical Insights with David Gooding, a Myrtlefield podcast, continued its good run in 2025. These are 15–20 minutes segments of sermons that are arranged consecutively to be uploaded on podcasting platforms. Each series is comprised of several episodes. Total podcast listens across all platforms rose to 22,322, a 74% increase on the previous year.
Report on Public Benefit
(a) Benefit
A measure of the extent of the benefit received through the activities of the Myrtlefield Trust is the number of people who have received the teaching contained in the Myrtlefield Archive concerning the truths and doctrines of the Christian Faith propagated and disseminated by the Myrtlefield Trust, as stated in the Myrtlefield Trust Memorandum of Association.
This extent can largely be measured by the number of (printed) books distributed, and by the number of accesses to the digital material available on the two websites.
The main myrtlefieldhouse.com site recorded 268,752 page views in 2025, with 97,620 visitors and around 10,000 returning users. Engagement with core resources also increased: minutes spent on sermons rose to 184,686, David Gooding Answers to 124,217 minutes, and online books to 64,499 minutes. While the 75% bounce rate is high, increased time on page suggests genuine usage growth; some of the traffic increase likely comes from AI bots scraping content, but this does not inflate the ‘minutes spent’ metrics.
MH316.com (the lower bandwidth site) saw 10,000 visitors (down 9%), 6,900 unique visitors (down 14%), and 20,000 page views (down 5%), with a 59% bounce rate. The decline may reflect a strategic shift in promotion towards the main site and the integration of translated content on myrtlefieldhouse.com, as well as the ongoing dominance of English over local languages among users. By contrast, MyrtlefieldEspañol.com grew to 891 unique visitors (up 36%) and 1,700 page views (up 42%), pointing to small but encouraging momentum in Spanish language engagement.
Video channel engagement grew strongly across all formats (long form, shorts, and podcasts), with significant increases in views year on year (+68%), watch hours (+28%), and new subscribers. Shorts were a major growth driver, with 48 videos published in 2025 (up from 30 in 2024) generating a 236% increase in views. All of this helps to boost engagement and introduce a wider audience to the rest of our content.
The Trustees are encouraged to see a significant increase of usage year on year, which encourages us in our ongoing efforts to keep these resources available. We are, however, seeking ways to improve how we measure personal interaction with our resources and gather user feedback.
The fact that the material is beneficial, rather than harmful, is based on other qualitative data, including the fact that a number of training colleges around the world have requested (and received) the material and are using it in their education programs.
(b) Public
The reported distribution of books to many countries, and the fact that the online Myrtlefield Archive is available globally and freely via the two websites, is evidence that the benefit is public.
Printed copies of some of the books are available for sale via both online and traditional retailers. All royalties resulting from these sales are fed back into the Myrtlefield Trust to further its activities, rather than providing private benefit to any of the Trustees.
The company returned net incoming resources for the year of £75,252 (2024 incoming resources of £52,944). At 31 December 2025, the total funds of the charity amounted to £1,020,351 (2024 £945,099) all being unrestricted funds.
The charity set aside monies to a designated fund for significant expenditure on a new office. At 31 December 2025, the balance on this fund was £200,000 (2024 £200,000).
It is the policy of the Trust that 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 Trust’s 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.
The principal risks of the charity are the loss of key staff members (which would hold work back) and the risk of receiving insufficient funds through changes either to investment funding, donor support, or sales of books.
Investment Policy
The Trustees have adopted a short to medium-term investment strategy designed to protect the Charity's capital while achieving modest growth and generating income where appropriate. Funds are invested in a diversified range of investments and deposit accounts, taking account of the Charity's cash flow requirements and the need to preserve assets for future charitable activities.
In managing the Charity's investments, the Trustees seek opportunities that offer financial stability, prudent growth and responsible stewardship. Investment decisions are made with regard to the Charity's Christian values and its objective of safeguarding resources to support its charitable purposes.
The Trustees review investment performance regularly and, where appropriate, obtain professional advice to ensure that the Charity's funds continue to be managed effectively and in the best interests of its beneficiaries.
Risk
The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Trust is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
Lord willing, the Myrtlefield Trust will keep on producing different kinds of resources on various books of the Bible. The Trust has begun to create study and teaching aids for local churches and for individuals at different stages of faith and with varying levels of aptitude. David Gooding’s material will remain the central hub, and the Trust is continuing to edit more of his sermons and unpublished manuscripts.
The Trustees would like to see these resources reach as widely as the Lord wants them to, both in English and in translation, in order to help those who appreciate them to reach the next generation of Bible students and teachers. The Trustees' aim is to provide this current generation with books and other media resources, and then gather their insights and feedback on what has been most helpful. The agreed next steps will be in four areas of activity: Editing the archive to produce books on the books of the Bible; Creating a study suite with teaching aids in English and in translation, using all media options to teach and to reach widely; Communicating with a network of existing users to fine tune the resources in English and in translation: and finally, Translating these books and other resources. To help measure these steps, the Trustees have adopted a five-year plan.
The Trust is a company limited by guarantee.
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:
None of the Trustees have any beneficial interest in the company. All of the Trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
New Trustees are identified and appointed in line with the Trust’s governing document. The board seeks individuals who share the Trust’s ethos and who demonstrate a commitment to promoting biblical literacy, particularly through engagement with the works and legacy of David Gooding. Recruitment is primarily undertaken through the Trust’s established networks. Those Trustees who were serving at the end of the year are listed on page 1.
The Trustees meet as a full board at least twice each year in person, with additional meetings held via video conferencing as required. These meetings address overall strategy, budget oversight, and key projects, including their financial implications. The Executive Director reports on progress against agreed priorities, with input from other staff where appropriate, contributing to the ongoing development of the Trust’s strategic direction. In addition, smaller Trustee working groups collaborate with the Executive Director on specific areas of responsibility, such as finance and premises.
Reference and administrative details
The day-to-day management of the charity is overseen by Josh Fitzhugh (Company Secretary).
Expectations of staff: Individual staff members will seek to give their utmost attention and dedication to the work of Myrtlefield during working hours, grow in competency in their respective roles, and seek to bring added value to the overall work of Myrtlefield in every year of their employment. Staff are also expected to live in a way that does not bring the name of the Lord, or of the Trust, into disrepute.
Expectations of management: The leadership team will seek to provide ongoing opportunities for growth in competency, proficiency and development for each staff member, along with appropriate ongoing support and critique, culminating in a yearly review. Leadership will also remain open to feedback and critique of themselves. Pay will be assessed yearly by the Trustees, in conjunction with the leadership team as appropriate, and decided by the Trustees. The level of increase will match annual inflation whenever possible. It will also increase incrementally, in line with performance and improvement based upon the targets agreed as part of the previous year’s annual review.
No Trustee is remunerated for their services as a Trustee, but they are reimbursed for authorised payments they make in expediting the work of the Trust.
The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of The Myrtlefield Trust (the Trust) for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 8 to 17.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
examine the accounts under section 65 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008;
follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act; and
state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner's report
I have examined your charity accounts as required under section 65 of the Charities Act and my examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act. The examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as charity Trustees concerning any such matters.
My role is to state whether any material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe:
That accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006
That the accounts do not accord with those accounting records
That the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the 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
That there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
I have completed my examination and have no concerns in respect of matters (1) to (4) listed above and, in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The Myrtlefield Trust is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Northern Ireland. The registered office is 5 Pine Hill, LISBURN, Co Antrim, BT27 5PL.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Trust's Memorandum and Articles, 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 Trust is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The Trust 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 Trust. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
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 Trust 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. As a designated fund, it forms part of the charity's unrestricted funds and may be redesignated by the Trustees at their discretion.
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.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the Trust 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.
Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents amounts receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business.
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 settlement will be required, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably, All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation 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 the statement of financial activities.
The charity’s financial investments are recognised when it becomes a party to the contractual terms of the instrument and expects economic benefits such as income or capital growth. Investments are initially measured at fair value, normally the transaction price, and subsequently carried at fair value with all changes recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) as net gains or losses on investments. Investment income including dividends, interest, and distributions is recognised when the charity becomes entitled to it and is allocated to restricted, unrestricted, or endowment funds in line with donor or trust requirements.
All financial investments are presented as current assets, as they are held for liquidity purposes and are expected to be realised within twelve months. Fair value is determined using quoted market prices or valuations provided by investment managers.
Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost comprises direct materials and, where applicable, direct labour costs and those overheads that have been incurred in bringing the stocks to their present location and condition. Items held for distribution at no or nominal consideration are measured the lower of replacement cost and cost.
Net realisable value is the estimated selling price less all estimated costs of completion and costs to be incurred in marketing, selling and distribution.
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 Trust 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.
Financial instruments are recognised in the Trust's balance sheet when the Trust 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 debtors and 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.
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 charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
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 Trust is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation in the period are included in profit or loss.
In the application of the Trust’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.
Sales
Investments
Publication and literature
Communication
Bank charges
General expenses
Foreign exchange loss/(gain)
Restricted funds re publication & literature
One Trustee was reimbursed £934 in travel expenses in relation to Trustees' meeting during the year (2024 - £243).
No Trustee remuneration was paid to any of the Trustees.
Governance costs includes payments to the independent examiners of £1,520 (2024- £100).
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The remuneration of key management personnel was as follows:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Unlisted investments relate to Epworth Cash Plus Investment Funds.
The Trust operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Trust in an independently administered fund.
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.
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.
Every member of the charity undertakes to contribute such amount as may be required (not exceeding £1) to the Charity's assets if it should be wound up while such person is a member, or within one year after such person ceases to be a member, for payment of the Charity's debts and liabilities contracted before such person ceases to be a member, and of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, and for the adjustment of the rights of the contributories among themselves.
There were no other disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).