We’re pleased to confirm that this year’s ACAT Conference and AGM will take place on Saturday 17 October 2026 at St Michael’s Centre, The Green, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8PD.
Below you can find a list of our speakers and workshop sessions.
The conference offers a chance for church treasurers and trustees to meet together in a day of discussion, encouragement and knowledge. The roles of finance and governance in a church are of utmost importance and carry with them a real responsibility, and I'm sure for some it can feel like a very lonely role. We run the conference to be a place where people who understand these challenges can come together, sharing in their experience and offering practical advice to one another.
It doesn’t matter if you’re serving for the first time or have been going for what seems like forever; the conference will be a place of fellowship and guidance, bringing together members from all across the UK and all across Christian denominations and organisations.
Tickets this year are £25 and, as ever, we encourage you to invite others from your church and those around you to come along together. I have no doubt that anyone engaged in finance, administration or governance within the church will benefit.
If travelling isn't an option for you, we also have a live stream option. Those attending online can only follow the main sessions, and only those attending in person can vote at the 2026 ACAT AGM.
We’re delighted to say that Gavin Smith, the founder of The Church Office, is going to be joining us at the ACAT Conference 2026 as our keynote speaker.
Gavin brings over 22 years of experience in church management and administration. He has a real passion for the gospel that’s all about helping churches flourish, especially by supporting the people who do all the important stuff behind the scenes. His keynote will be all about mission and ministry, and the vital role that treasurers and trustees play in getting churches on their feet.
Before working in the church world, Gavin worked for the local council’s Youth and Community department, got a degree in Youth and Community and was then seconded to the Welsh Assembly Government to work on youth policy. All that experience has given him a practical, mission-focused approach to church leadership and administration.
Outside work, Gavin is a great fan of paddle boarding, barbecues and football, and he even used to play for Cardiff City back in the day, still managing to nutmeg the odd player (especially anyone who thinks he’s getting a bit old now!). He is also a director of UCAN.
Gavin lives in Newport, South Wales, with his wife Emma, their four children, and a fluffy dog called Max.
As Gavin often says (and we’ve got a feeling he’ll be saying it loud and clear at the ACAT Conference 2026) the work that gets done behind the scenes is what makes mission happen. He knows that treasurers and trustees play a rock-solid, mission-critical role in church life.
We’re absolutely thrilled to have Gavin on board with us at ACAT Conference 2026. It’s going to be an uplifting start to the conference.
Paul has spent most of his career, both as an employee and a trustee, in the fundraising, charity, and voluntary services sectors. He is employed by the Diocese of Manchester and is their Diocesan Giving Advisor. Over the last six years, as HMRC agent for the Gift Aid Lite scheme, he has modernised Gift Aid and GASDS claiming using web-based software to maximise individual church claims whilst also ensuring robust audit trails are in place. During the last tax year, the diocese claimed back almost £800k in Gift Aid and GASDS from HMRC on behalf of around 200 churches. Paul has also developed and implemented a diocesan Giving, Generosity, and Thankfulness strategy to support churches develop and enhance this important area of their mission and ministry. This has included organising, developing, and delivering high-quality training for Treasurers, Gift Aid Secretaries, clergy, and laity.
Gerald has been Chief Executive of the Fundraising Regulator since 1 July 2018. He first joined the regulator when it was set up in January 2016 as its Head of Policy and Communications.
Gerald was Director of Policy and Partnerships at the Big Lottery Fund and one of its predecessors from 1995 until October 2010 when he became freelance, working with charities, trusts and foundations on a wide range of policy and governance projects. His earlier career in the public sector was in the former Greater London Council housing department and as a funder of charities and voluntary organisations.
Gerald is Chair of the London Emergencies Trust (the successor charity to the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund, which he chaired from 2005-2008). He is also a trustee and Deputy Chair of the National Emergencies Trust and was previously an independent trustee and board member of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust until September 2023.
Andrew joined the firm in April 2021 and currently serves as Deputy CEO. In this role, he oversees the business development and client relations teams, while maintaining a core focus on ethical thought leadership. He is also an Executive Director of Epworth.
Originally from Texas and ordained in the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Andrew previously held the position of Director of Global & Learning Innovation at Cliff College, a graduate and postgraduate evangelical learning community affiliated with the Methodist Church.
Andrew holds postgraduate qualifications in theology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and has completed his Doctor of Ministry at Wesley University in Nigeria.
Robin Jones is the Digital, Media and Communications Officer at ACAT, having joined the team in June 2022. He supports communications with our members, partners and the wider public. He works part-time from Portsmouth, where he lives with his wife and two children.
Robin has extensive experience across IT and in website design, as well as in creating both printed and digital communications. He has a degree in Applied Theology, with a focus on Community and Families and has served on the Leadership Team of several churches as a Children and Families Minister.
After more than 25 years working in the construction industry, followed by six years serving her local church, Helen founded Priority Business Services Ltd, where she is Owner Director. Through the business, she provides bookkeeping, accounting and payroll support to a wide range of churches and charities, combining her commercial background with a practical understanding of the particular financial and regulatory challenges faced by the not-for-profit sector.
Helen holds a BA (Hons) degree in Administrative Management and is a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (FICB PMDip), bringing professional expertise alongside her extensive practical and sector experience.
She is passionate about helping churches achieve strong financial governance – not simply to meet statutory and regulatory requirements, but to develop financial processes and systems that enable and support their mission. Helen brings practical experience, sector insight and a strong commitment to good stewardship to the ACAT Board and its members.
Margaret has been involved in charities for all of her adult life as a volunteer, employee, trustee and Independent Examiner, and therefore has a relatively unique view of charities from the inside and looking in from the outside. She originally trained as a scientist, and worked as a scientist, engineer and lecturer before moving into the charity sector, and retraining in charity finance and accounting.
Margaret has lived Scotland, England and America and therefore has a wide experience of church life in various worshipping communities, including being a church treasurer. Margaret is a Fellow of the Association of Charity Independent Examiners (ACIE) and provides Independent Examinations to around 30 charities, including a number of churches from different denominations. She regularly provides both face to face and online training for ACIE.
Jenny Jones has worked in Trusts and Foundations fundraising for both local and national charities, securing project and unrestricted grants. She currently works as Trusts and Foundations Fundraising Manager for Music in Hospitals & Care. A UK-wide charity using live music to improve health and wellbeing. She has also supported churches to secure funding - including writing applications and providing guidance for churches at the beginning of their fundraising planning.
More speakers will be announced soon.
Drawing on the Fundraising Regulator’s experience of regulating charitable fundraising, this session will explore the practical steps organisations can take to fundraise safely, effectively and in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice. It will highlight common issues and themes seen through our casework, the lessons that can be learned from them, and how the Code and our guidance can help organisations identify and manage risks. You will also take away practical tips for good fundraising practice, including how to prevent problems and handle complaints effectively.
Artificial intelligence is advancing quickly, but so too are the ethical questions surrounding it. For churches and charities, the challenge is no longer simply whether AI can improve efficiency or expand impact, but how it can be used in ways that uphold human dignity, justice and the common good. This session will consider the key areas of concern for responsible investors, including bias, surveillance, labour disruption, misinformation, energy demand and the growing concentration of technological power. It will ask what real accountability looks like when innovation moves faster than governance.
Could modern software and AI help you think differently about how your church manages its finances?
Many churches still rely heavily on spreadsheets, documents and manual processes. While these tools have their place, could some of that work now be done more simply, safely and efficiently – and at a cost that might be more affordable than you think?
This session will explore the possibilities – from accounting and payments to expenses, giving and emerging AI tools – and look at how modern software can reduce repetitive administration, save time, strengthen financial processes and provide better information.
Using examples of products and solutions along the way, we’ll consider what’s possible, what it might cost, the questions worth asking, and what could work for your church. The aim isn’t detailed technical training, but to give you the awareness and confidence to explore your options and consider whether it might be time to do things differently.
This session will look at some do's and don'ts in preparing your IE and will include how best to help the examiner and how to 'display impact' of your church in the annual report.
A guide to the resources available to reduce the administrative burden for clergy and laity.
Many of us have gaps in our skills. Maybe you are good with numbers but not words, or words and not numbers. I have dyslexia, and getting my thoughts down on paper can be a real struggle, but this is where AI has helped me fill in the gaps. In this session, I will explore the different ways that we can use AI to support us in our roles – considering the advantages and the challenges.
Grant funding can be a great source of income for churches. But working out what you need and how to get started isn't always straightforward. In this session, Jenny will share the key things you can do now to get your church ready to secure your first (or next) grant.
More details of other workshops to follow.
We're delighted to welcome Gavin Smith as this year's keynote speaker, alongside sessions on:
Full session timings to follow.
CAF Bank is more than a bank. We are dedicated to supporting charities and social purposes enterprises and understanding the pressures they face. Owned by a charity, the Charities Aid Foundation, we share the ethos of the 14,000 organisations using our banking, deposit account, and lending services. From the one-person causes to the large-scale organisations, we are the bank charities turn to. We believe in the power of good, and in treating the goals of charities as our own.
Epworth are proudly part of the investment arm of The Methodist Church. We are stewards of our investors’ money and carefully select investments using Christian ethical criteria. Epworth manages assets of around £1 billion and is wholly owned by the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church – a statutory body established by the Methodist Church Funds Act 1960
Burton Sweet has specialised in supporting charities, churches and civil society organisations for over 30 years. We provide charity accounts preparation, external scrutiny, governance and constitution advice, trading guidance, training and practical support to help charities operate effectively. More than half of our clients are churches or Christian charities.
Since 1985 Data Developments have provided software, services and training for churches, faith-based organisations, foodbanks and charities. Our software and services greatly simplify the accounts, administration and donations work for your organisation and enables you to focus on your mission
Online since 2003 Liberty Accounts cloud accounting and payroll is designed to meet the requirements of not-for-profits. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features, it simplifies financial management. From tracking donations to generating reports, Liberty Accounts ensures transparency and compliance, allowing charities to focus on their mission while staying organised and efficient.
Unity Trust Bank is an independent, purpose-driven bank offering current accounts and specialist support for charities and the not-for-profit sector. Our mission is to help organisations create positive change through responsible banking and a commitment to social good.
At Utility Aid we secure charities and not-for-profit organisations across the UK the best possible service agreements on your water, gas and electricity. We support, advise and negotiate on your behalf.
Venue: St Michael’s Centre, The Green, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8PD
This is a full day conference, with registration at the venue from 09:30 and the conference itself running from 10:00 to 16:30. Refreshments and lunch are built into the programme & are always a great opportunity to interact with fellow treasurers.
The cost includes all materials, lunch and refreshments. All ACAT events are open to members and non-members.
St Michael's Centre, North Road, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, UK
