Free Online ACAT Training

Thanks to our diocesan membership, ACAT is offering Diocese of Manchester churches the opportunity to attend a number of their high-quality online training courses for free.

Places are limited – there are only 10 available per course – and there are a variety of subject areas being offered throughout November and December 2025.

To reserve your place, please email zoekruger@manchester.anglican.org with your name and the title of the course you wish to attend.

Your details will then be passed to the Training Team at ACAT, and they will email you with the joining instructions to attend your course via Zoom.

This offer will be repeated in 2026, and the dates and course titles will be announced early in the New Year.

Available Courses

Topic: Trustee Training for Churches

Dates: 22nd November and 6th December
Times: 10:00am – 12:00 noon

Session one covers:

• An introduction to the charity legal framework and the concept of a trustee
• An overview of church and charity governance
• Key processes for appointing, training, and managing trustees.

Session two covers:

The legal duties of trustees as set out in Charity Commission guidance ‘The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do’, including:

• Ensuring their own eligibility to be trustees
• Ensuring the charity carries out its purposes for the public benefit
• Complying with the charity’s governing document and the law
• Acting in the charity’s best interests
• Managing the charity’s resources responsibly
• Acting with reasonable care and skill
• Ensuring the charity is accountable.

Please register by Friday, 14th November. Please attend both sessions, as they cover different topics.

Topic: Gift Aid – Maximising the benefits and reducing the pitfalls

Date: Monday, 24th November
Time: 6.45pm – 8.45pm

Take this course to enhance your understanding of the complexities of Gift Aid and the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS). Be guided through the jargon, the whys and wherefores, and when not to ‘push’ the limits of the scheme. Find answers to those questions you always wanted to ask about Gift Aid.

Please register by Friday, 14th November.

Topic: Accruals accounting for larger churches

Dates: 22nd November and 6th December
Times: 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Session one is entitled “Introduction to Accruals” and aims to provide an introduction to the fundamental accounting concepts and forms of financial statements that are used in accruals basis accounting.

Session two is entitled “Accruals and the Charity SORP”. It will discuss how to make year-end accounting adjustments, the reporting requirements of the Charities SORP and the requirements for larger charities.

Please register by Friday, 14th November. Please attend both sessions, as they cover different topics.

Topic: Preparing for Independent Examination

Date: Monday, 8th December
Time: 7:00pm – 8:00pm

Preparing for an Independent Examination of your church’s accounts can feel daunting, especially if you’re unsure of what’s required or how best to get ready. This course is designed to give you clear, practical guidance so you can approach the process with confidence, understand what examiners are looking for, and ensure your church’s records are in good order.

Please register by Friday, 21st November.