ACAT is delighted to announce that places can now be booked on our first ever online training sessions.
Our popular Being a Treasurer: The Basics will become the first course to be available via webinar from September 12.
Limited places are now available and treasurers are asked to book times and dates convenient for them at the earliest opportunity.
ACAT has split the course – which is equally relevant to new and experienced treasurers – into three two hour-long sessions.
We’re advising treasurers to book all three sessions to ensure that they’re appraised of the entire course.
Each session – costing just £10 – will be led by ACAT’s highly experienced trainer, Manny Kemp.
The first Being a Treasurer: The Basics session will cover charity law and the role of trustees and the bookkeeping and finance processes in a church.
This first session be available on:
Saturday, September 12 – between 10am and 12noon
Saturday, September 12 – between 2pm and 4pm
Tuesday, September 15 – between 6pm and 8pm
The second Being a Treasurer: The Basics session will cover the topics of budgeting, risk and Gift Aid.
Delegates will learn about the planning activities of budgeting and risk management, and Gift Aid and other tax subjects
The second session will be available on:
Saturday, September 19 – between 10am and 12noon
Saturday, September 19 – between 2pm and 4pm
Tuesday, September 22 – between 6pm and 8pm
The third Being a Treasurer: The Basics session will delve into the topic of year-end reporting.
It will cover the year-end reporting and independent examination routines required by law.
This third session will take place on:
Saturday, September 26 – between 10am and 12noon
Saturday, September 26 – between 2pm and 4pm
Tuesday, September 29 – between 6pm and 8pm
ACAT Executive Officer Ashley Ellis said: “We’ve listened to feedback from ACAT members and are now launching our Basics course online for the first time.
“It will enable church treasurers to train in the comfort of their own home or office regardless of where they live in the country.
“Once a booking has been made, a member of ACAT’s team will be in touch with details of how to log-in.”
The training will be provided by Zoom.
If delegates don’t have an existing Zoom account, you will be prompted to download the free software once you’ve clicked on the link that we’ll provide you with.
Ashley adds: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Manny Kemp for his outstanding work developing these sessions in conjunction with ACAT’s team.
“We hope to launch even more online courses in the near future.”
To book a session either click on the dates above or go to ACAT’s training page here.
ACAT has changed our banking provider…
We now bank with Triodos Bank, which specialises in “sustainable financial products”.
Triodos was established specifically to enable individuals and organisations to use their money in ways that benefit both people and the environment.
Ashley Ellis, ACAT’s Executive Officer, said: “We’re delighted to be banking with Triodos Bank whose ethos is truly inspiring.
“Rest assured that ACAT will always seek to ensure that our banking is undertaken appropriately and responsibly.”
Most ACAT members will not need to do anything as a result of ACAT’s switch to Triodos.
However, those who pay their annual membership by standing order will be informed by their bank that the payment details have changed. In addition, ACAT’s Membership Officer will be in touch around the time of your renewal to confirm the new banking details.
Triodos Bank UK recently attained the Ethical Company Award from The Good Shopping Guide and has been ranked at the top of their Ethical Banks & Building Societies Ratings Table scoring 100/100.
The Good Shopping Guide was set up to help people make informed decisions about which brands are best for the planet, best for animals and best for people.
Its ambition is to get broad engagement and make the ethical shopping movement a more powerful force for good than ever before.
The Good Shopping Guide team praised Triodos Bank’s proactive approach to environmental matters and public support for sustainable banking as a member of organisations such as The Climate Coalition and Green Alliance.
Triodos was also commended for strong people-related criteria, due to having strict ethical standards that prevent irresponsible lending and not using political donations in an attempt to unduly influence the democratic system.
Commitment to an equal level of treatment and inclusion for all customers and employees was refelcted in certifications and participation, including as a Disability Confident Committed Employer, Living Wage Employer and signatory of the Women in Business Charter and Women in Finance Charter.
ACAT is urging church treasurers to book places for our 2020 Virtual Conference “at the earliest opportunity” to avoid disappointment following the great success of our first online courses.
These online courses are now practically fully booked – a little over a fortnight after they were launched.
ACAT’s Executive Officer Ashley Ellis is calling on members to book places on those webinars that form part of this year’s conference, entitled: “The Challenge of Change – Securing Your Church’s Financial Future” as early as possible due to limited spaces being available.
The event will take place entirely online between Monday, October 5, and Thursday, October 15.
Ashley explained: “The entire ACAT team has been absolutely delighted that so many of you have booked a place on our first ever online training courses.
“We’re now asking you to book your places at this year’s virtual conference at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment, as we’re only able to make limited places available.
“We’ve arranged for a host of truly outstanding speakers from the worlds of faith, finance, law and digital to lend church treasurers their expertise – and we don’t want you to miss out.”
The events which form part of this year’s conference are:
Monday, October 5, 2020 at 7.30pm – The Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR): “Money Makes Change – How do we connect our faith and finances to create a fairer, more sustainable world?“ Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 7.30pm – Diocese of York Generous Giving Team: “Communication – Top Tips for Encouraging Generosity.” Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 7.30pm – The Association of Charity Independent Examiners (ACIE): “Independent Examination – The Independent Examiner Calls” Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 4pm – easyfundraising: “A guide to generating free income online using easyfundraising” Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 7.30pm – Giving in Grace: “The Heart and the How of a Stewardship Programme” Monday, October 12, 2020 at 7.30pm – CCLA: “Investing, before during and after a pandemic – CCLA’s Response to Covid-19” Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at 7.30pm – The Charity Commission: “Treasurers – Making a Difference“ Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at 7.30pm – Data Developments: “Re-defining accounts and giving in a digital world” Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 4pm – Creative Stream: “WWW: Which Websites Work – A snapshot of what works for Churches today“ Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 7.30pm – Anthony Collins: “Employment Law, the Treasurer and the post-pandemic environment“ To discover more – or to book places – please click on the above links. Alternatively, if you wish to book all 10 webinars at the reduced price of £75 please click here.ACAT is truly delighted that CCLA has returned as our headline sponsor for this year’s conference. CCLA is the UK’s leading fund manager for Christian churches and charities with 60 years’ experience providing competitive and attractive investment management services.”
ACAT is delighted to be welcoming Andrew Robinson MBE, CCLA’s Executive Director of Market Development, as one of the keynote speakers at our 2021 virtual conference. Andrew’s webinar entitled What is good investment? will take place at 7pm on Thursday, October 14. Here, Andrew explains how church treasurers will specifically benefit from the webinar…
‘REALITY IS ONE, THOUGH WISE PEOPLE SPEAK OF IT VARIOUSLY’
This is the conclusion of an ancient story that describes a group of blind men encountering an elephant for the first time. Each gets a chance to touch one part of it and then tries to describe their experience to the others. One touches the trunk and concludes it’s like a thick snake. Another touches the ear and claims it’s a fan. A third feels the leg and maintains it’s a tree. A fourth feels the side of the elephant and believes it’s like a wall. Another grabs the tail and says it’s a rope. While the man who touches the tusk describes it as a polished spear. A huge argument ensues as they attempt to come to a consensus.
The elephant now standing in the midst of investment management industry, and very much of the moment, is ESG — those non-financial factors relating to environmental, social and governance considerations increasingly taken account of when constructing portfolios. While ESG investing is still a relatively new phenomenon, in actual fact the Christian church for decades has been at the forefront of what was once a movement and is now becoming mainstream. Though some might call it ‘mission-driven’ investment and CCLA has laid a claim to ‘good investment’, the reality is ESG investing has achieved an unstoppable momentum. Its popularity will continue to grow post pandemic. The stark challenges for people and planet presented by climate change, combined with a marked shift in society’s attitudes regarding the consequences of the economic choices we make today on the social and environmental conditions of tomorrow, will make sure of it … but only in part: the real driver is that the investment industry itself can already smell the money, however ESG is only spoken of variously.
CCLA is the largest manager of charity funds in the UK (Charity Finance, July 2021), managing money for more Christian churches and faith-based organisations across all denominations than any of our competitors. We define our purpose as helping our clients maximise their impact on society by harnessing the power of investment markets. This emphasis is important for a number of reasons, which I very much hope will become clear to those attending my session at the ACAT conference.
I’m not sure church accountants and treasurers are as aware of their power to do good in terms of mission as they might be — with their substance, not just the surpluses generated. Insofar as conferences tend to focus more on the ‘ways and means’ rather than the end objective, I am hoping that by giving attendees the opportunity to define for themselves what good investment might look like, it will help in defining the sort of action plan that might follow to effect lasting real world impact, which must require going beyond the technical aspects of portfolio construction. For the Christian investor, maybe even re-imagining what shareholder value really means.
To book your place on Andrew’s webinar entitled ‘What is good investment?” on Thursday, October 14, at 7pm, please click HERE.
CCLA Investment Management Ltd and CCLA Fund Managers Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
THE Charity Commission has issued new guidance for churches and their trustees regarding the Ukraine humanitarian crisis.
The commission states that: “Many charities are already raising funds and have launched appeals.
“Our guidance about emergency appeals explains how your charity can help when responding to an emergency.”
It includes advice about collaborating with other charities and managing risks when planning an appeal.
The Chaity Commission has tailored its guidance to answer the most commonly asked questions.
Topics include:
For more information click HERE.
It is accepted that the Charity Commission exists to ensure that charities, operate in accordance with their statutory obligations. However, in the increasingly complex world in which we as charity/church trustees are required to work these obligations extend beyond mere charity law.
Effective ministry requires many things, vision, prayer, resources, and commitment. Without policies which govern these aspects of ministry, they will not only cease to be effective but are likely to result in the church falling foul of the law.
Churches should have in place policies covering the following.
This list is not exhaustive and there will be other aspects of church life and work that the governing body may feel need to be the subject of an agreed policy.
Have these demands become a distraction from the essential priorities of ministry? On the other hand, might the need for policies and procedures be an essential part of ministry?
Charity law requires church trustees to act in ways that are transparent, prudent, accountable, and efficient. For churches to adhere to the basic legal requirements of the policies identified ensures these principles are foundational to their work. The essential benefits may be summarised as being.
In June 2023 Stewardship produced a thoughtful article “The Role of Policies in church Life”. Additionally in April 2024 an FIEC podcast asked the question “Church Policies: Mere distraction or essential ministry. How can we see policies in their rightful place?”
Do you feel that creation and adherence to policies are stifling the work of your church?
https://fiec.org.uk/resources/church-policies-mere-distraction-or-essential-ministry
https://www.stewardship.org.uk/blogs/role-policies-church-life
THE data protection chapter of ACAT’s handbook has been revised – and is now available for members to read on our website.
Chapter 21 now examines both the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) as well as the Data Protection Act 2018.
It has subsections that discuss: “The lawful basis for processing data”; “The registration process”; & “The Effects of Brexit”.
The chapter has been prepared for ACAT by highly experienced data protection specialist Kate Grimley Evans, who was formerly the Head of Information Law at Stone King LLP.
Kate qualified as a solicitor in 2004, having trained with Eversheds and subsequently worked at Mills & Reeve before joining Stone King in January 2011.
Kate qualified as an EU GDPR Data Protection Practitioner in 2017 before leaving Stone King in August 2019 to launch her own company to concentrate on first rate data protection training and compliance auditing.
Chapter 21 of ACAT’s handbook entitled Data Protection is available here.
The Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility – ECCR – has launched its new ‘Ethical Buying Guide for Churches’ resource.
ECCR’s vision is to see money used in a way that creates a fairer and more sustainable world.
One of ACAT’s longstanding Partners in Ministry, it helps faith communities and people make financial choices which reflect these values and passions.
The new guide, which has been launched as part of its Money Makes Change programme, helps churches take practical steps with their spending to shape a fairer, more sustainable world.
From cleaning products to computers, toilet rolls to teabags, the purchasing decisions we make as churches have an impact on the world.
What do we know about where and how those items were made? What do we know about the companies we buy from?
With discussion questions, case studies and top tips for forming an ethical purchasing policy, it’s possible to use the resource to “reflect and take action in your church”.
To find out more, download the resource and share with your church click HERE.
With the onset of autumn, many Churches are entering the season of light nights and firework events – and many of us might even be starting to think about Christmas…
Whilst these events may take a slightly different form this year as we navigate the lifting of pandemic restrictions, a church still has a duty of care to protect everyone that may be affected by its activities.
Here, Kingdom Bank – who are one of our guest speakers at the ACAT Conference 2021 – suggests nine insurance considerations which all need to be borne in mind prior to planning an event:
1 Contact your insurance provider
You should contact your insurance provider and outline details of any activities that could be classed as safety-critical or hazardous. They will advise whether your liability cover will extend accordingly. You may not need to arrange a separate event policy.
2. Seek the necessary permissions
If the event is located on any land that is owned by the Local Authority, permission will be needed. If it necessitates a road closure, you should contact the authorities and allow at least 12 weeks’ notice.
3. Risk assessments
Complete a detailed written risk assessment. This will identify any hazards and safety issues whilst setting out how you can manage the risks.
4. Safeguarding
You should ensure your safeguarding policy is up-to-date, relevant for the event activities and strictly adhered to.
5. Insurance for third-party suppliers
If you are using any third-party organisers such as a caterer or inflatables company, ensure they have adequate insurance cover and agree responsibilities between you. This will ensure that each party knows who is responsible for what.
6. Check caterers’ credentials
If you are using any professional caterers at the event, check they are registered under the Food Safety Act and with their Local Authority Environmental Health Department. You should also check they are health and safety compliant.
7. Alcohol licencing
If you are planning on selling alcohol at your event, you must organise a licence for this.
8. Evacuation procedures
You should have an evacuation procedure in the event of a fire occurring, even if the event is outside. If you expect a large number of attendees, you should inform the police and fire brigade in advance.
9. Event supervision
It’s important to ensure the event is fully supervised, helping to keep attendees safe. Having marshals at areas such as the car park, entrance and each activity can help with this.
If you are planning an event and would like to discuss your specific requirements, you can get in touch with Kingdom Bank here.
For more government guidance on events, click HERE.
To book your place on Kingdom Bank’s webinar entitled ‘Practical banking, Kingdom purpose – How best to support your church in a post-Covid world’ which takes place on Tuesday, October 12, please click HERE.
On 31 October 2022, the first set of changes introduced by the Charities Act 2022 came into force, introducing a range of provisions, including new powers for trustees.
These provisions include:
Other provisions of the Act now in force:
More detailed information on these changes can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charities-act-2022-guidance-for-charities
The next set of provisions are expected to come into force in Spring 2023.
You can read more about the Charities Act 2022: implementation plan here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charities-act-2022-implementation-plan.
Our partner CAF bank has also produced a Top 10 changes article about the practical implications for your charity. https://www.cafonline.org/about-us/blog-home/the-charities-act-2022-what-are-the-practical-implications-for-your-charity
And Bates Wells has produced this article highlighting the changes and what you should be doing in preparation: https://bateswells.co.uk/updates/charities-act-2022-when-will-the-new-provisions-come-into-force-and-what-should-you-be-doing-in-preparation/#:~:text=The%20range%20of%20helpful%20provisions,into%20force%20in%20Autumn%202023.
