Treasurer’s Report for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2025
It has been an interesting time since the last AGM. Proposed changes to the way Charities report on their accounts will soon change and we took the decision to move away from Accruals to Receipts and Payments (sometimes called Cash) accounting. This also meant changes to our constitution to permit us to move our year-end from 31 December to 31 March.
During this time, our normal activities continued: two Christmas Days, one Lent, one Easter. We held Christmas meals at Wade Street Church, and delivered meals to those isolated and living alone; we walked through Lichfield on our Walk of Witness; held services in Lichfield Methodist Church and in the Cathedral; sang carols in the Market Square; met for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and World Day of Prayer; ran Lent groups; updated our website; and collected at Bower Day. These activities were well attended.
Financially, we seem to have made huge payments during the period, but because of the change of accounting date they include two Christmas Days Together. Total cash received was £2,933, of which £1,899 was specifically for Christmas Day Together and Late Night Listeners. Total cash payments were £4,677, of which £920 related to related to Late Night Listeners and £2,806 for Christmas Day Together in 2023 and 2024. General unrestricted payments totalled £951, of which £200 was given to Wade Street Church for their annual outreach event, Baseball Camp where over 100 children and young people heard the gospel. £1,329 was transferred from General Funds to cover shortfalls in the restricted funds of Late Night Listeners and Christmas Day Together.We ended the year with a cash balance of £2,349 to be used for our charitable purposes.
My special thanks go to David Mason, who has been Secretary, and has held several other roles, during my time as Treasurer. He has patiently been available to sign cheques, authorise on-line payments, sign off the accounts, send out notices and requests, and has been a source of huge knowledge about people and churches in Lichfield. For your support and kindness, David, thank you.
Finally, I would like to thank Jemimah Reid, our Independent Examiner – for her diligence and dedication in ensuring that we comply with charity reporting requirements, and for her support and advice, particularly during the transition from Accruals to Receipts and Payments accounting.
I submit the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the 15-month period to 31 March 2025 to the AGM for approval.
Elizabeth Ridler 10 June 2025