The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.
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 Memorandum and Articles of Association, 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)".
To provide a community centre for the use of the inhabitants of Eastbourne and the surrounding area without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, nationality, race or political, religious or other opinions, including use of the property for meetings, lectures and classes or other forms of recreation and leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.
The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake and consider that the objectives and activities described above are for the public benefit.
Hire of Centre Facilities
Hiring of the centre has remained broadly consistent from the prior year and below is a list of those who have used the centre on more than one occasion since the start of the period covered by this report:
Community Church – Eastbourne
Kingdon Way Trust
River of Life Church
Pioneer Churches
Brighton & Hove City Council
Community Activities
As a charity we are committed to serving the local community and to increase the number of events and activities we provide. We are also committed to providing free events and activities to local residents.
The Acorns Baby and Toddler Group that is hosted at the Centre on a Wednesday morning has continued to be successful and it has seen continued to grow over the year. During July 2025, we hosted, in conjunction with Community Church, a BBQ for the attendees of the Group, that was a big success.
In conjunction with Community Church Eastbourne, we hosted a Christmas event to which a good number came and were able to celebrate the birth of Jesus and enjoy a mix of traditional and new carols.
The centre is one of the few buildings in the area with a built-in baptistery in the floor.
Centre Manager
Our Centre Manager, Carol Turner, has ensured that everything at the Centre has been kept up to date and running. Carol has responsibility for finance, bookings and maintenance and works on a purely voluntary basis.
Building work
As a charity we are committed to serving the local community and to ensure that Centre is maintained to the appropriate standard to deliver these services as well as met the relevant laws and regulations.
During the year, we have continued the maintenance programme from the previous year, part of which was funded from a grant from Eastbourne Borough Council.
There was a deficit for the year of £12,291 (2024: deficit of £29,382). Funds at the 31 December year end amounted to £681,560 (2024: £693,851) including cash reserves of £2,190 (2024: £4,314).
The Centre’s Directors have reviewed general funds and considered that the current levels adequately safeguard the charity against any short term fall in incoming resources. However, in the event of any significant drop in activity, it would be necessary to consider how funding would be replaced or activities changed in order that the charity's objects could continue to be fulfilled.
The management committee has conducted its own review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed and strategies have been established to mitigate those risks so far as possible.
Internal risks are minimised by implementation of suitable internal controls and direct management involvement, and ensure consistent delivery of quality in respect of all operational aspects of the charitable company.
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:
The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The Trustees, who are also the directors of St Anthony's Centre 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.
In order to assist you to fulfil your duties under the Companies Act 2006, we have prepared for your approval the accounts of St Anthony's Centre for the year ended 31 December 2025, set out on pages to 13 from the charity’s accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.
As a practising member firm of the Association of Chareterd Certified Accountants, we are subject to its ethical and other professional requirements which are detailed at http://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/member/standards/rules-and-standards/rulebook.html.
This report is made to the charity's Trustees, as a body, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter dated 1 April 2020. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the financial statements of St Anthony's Centre and state those matters that we have agreed to state to the charity's Trustees, as a body, in this report in accordance with the requirements of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants as detailed at www.accaglobal.com/content/dam/ACCA_Global/Technical/fact/tf-audit-exempt-companies-jan-24.pdf. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than St Anthony's Centre and the charity's Trustees as a body for our work or for this report.
It is your duty to ensure that St Anthony's Centre has kept adequate accounting records and to prepare statutory financial statements that give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and deficit of St Anthony's Centre. You consider that St Anthony's Centre is exempt from the statutory audit requirement for the year, and is not required to obtain an independent examiner's report.
We have not been instructed to carry out an audit or a review of the financial statements of St Anthony's Centre. For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on the statutory financial statements.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
St Anthony's Centre is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 557a Seaside, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 6NH.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "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 charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities 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 £.
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 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.
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 and grants are recognised once the charity 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.
Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.
Property, plant and equipment are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses. The cost attributed to the land and buildings is based on a previous valuation which was transitioned to FRS102 on 1 January 2016 as deemed cost in accordance with the transitional provision contained in s.35.10(d) of "FRS 102 - The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland."
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 basis:
Freehold land is not depreciated.
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.
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.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity 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 trade and other receivables 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 trade and other payables 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 payables 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 payables are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
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 charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
In the application of the charity’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.
None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year nor were they reimbursed any expenses (2024: £nil).
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The cost attributed to the land and buildings is based on a previous valuation which was transitioned to FRS102 on 1 January 2016 as deemed cost in accordance with the transitional provision contained in s.35.10(d) of "FRS 102 - The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland."
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.
During the year the following transactions took place with Community Church Eastbourne, which has the same trustees as St. Anthony's Centre.
Donations of £7,950 (2024:£6,000) were received from Community Church Eastbourne.
St. Anthony's Centre reimbursed Community Church Eastbourne £Nil (2024: £17) for expenses incurred on its behalf.