EQUIPES NOTRE DAME GREAT BRITAIN Registered Charity 1044902
Annual Report for the year to 31 December 2023
Legal and administrative information
The official name of the charity is Equipes Notre Dame, Great Britain, and the registered charity number is 1044902. The Official name reflects the involvement in, and links with, the world wide movement for Christian married couples.
The registered address of the charity is 5 Petrebrook, Chelmer Village, Chelmsford, CM2 6QJ. The charity is part of an international movement based in Paris.
The governing document of the charity is the Declaration of Trust made on the first day of August 1994, and amended on 31 August, 2018. This Declaration of Trust restricts the charity from undertaking any substantial trading activity as part of raising funds. In addition, no trustee shall acquire an interest in property belonging to the charity.
The charity's banker is National Westminster Bank Plc. There are no Regional Treasurers or regional bank accounts any longer.
Equipes Notre Dame (Great Britain) is administered by up to eight trustees: the Regional Couples and the GB Treasurers, who meet regularly on line. The main planning and co-ordination of the activities of and for the Teams of Great Britain are carried out at the meetings of the Regional Couples, which are normally held at the same time as the Trustees’ meeting.
We continue normally to meet by Zoom. Meetings for a morning are held at roughly 8 – 10 week intervals. In 2023, we met on Saturdays 14 January, 11 March, 13 May and 14 October. We also had short meetings on 8 June to plan for an in person on 8 July. We also had a number of meetings of different groups involved in the preparation for the re-Gathering.
During 2023 the Trustees were Chris and Dominique Thompson (Treasurer Couple), Paul and Janet Deboo (Central Regional Couple), Paul and Susan Rowney (Northern Regional Couple) and Peter and Yvonne Newman (Southern Regional Couple). The Rowneys retired during the year and the new Northern Regional Couple are David and Joanne Harries.
Aims and organisation
The object of the charity, as stated in the Declaration of Trust, is the advancement of religion in accordance with the tenets of the Christian faith in particular by the promotion of Christian marriage, family life and the spiritual development of husband and wife.
The Teams in Great Britain are part of the world-wide international movement for Christian married couples, Equipes Notre-Dame, led by an International Leading Team, (Equipe Responsable Internationale (ERI)). The three geographic Regions of Teams in Great Britain, Northern, Central and Southern, form the Province of Great Britain. The Province is part of the Transatlantic Super Region, along with Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Ghana. Each of the Regions of Great Britain has a Regional Couple and is further divided into sectors led by a Sector Couple or Sector Team. The Charity has only voluntary staff.
The principal activity of the charity is to support the monthly meetings of 78 Teams around Great Britain. Monthly Team Meetings are the centre point of the movement, and enable couples to eat together, pray together, and share their joys and sorrows in a caring atmosphere.
The other supporting activities of the charity are:
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The production of a quarterly Regional Newsletter sent to each team couple;
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Other events such as retreats and training sessions;
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Co-ordination and planning, carried out by the Regional Couples and Sector Couples;
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Promotional activities to aid the expansion of the movement;
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Production of literature for use in the Team Meetings and for expansion;
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Adoption and maintenance of the various policies regulating processes and activities;
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Contacts and joint activities with the wider movement around the world.
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Review of progress and activities in 2023
Normal activities
During the year, 78 Teams had nearly 300 couples and 39 widows and widowers in membership together with 40 spiritual counsellors or advisors. There were also 19 unattached couples. Many Teams resumed meetings in person after covid, others have continued meeting on line. All were kept in touch via the Newsletters. In addition Regional and Sector Couples send circulars.
The major event of the year was our re-Gathering at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick. This was attended by nearly 80 people for two days of discussion and networking, with two Social evenings and time for personal discussion, prayer and worship. On Sunday morning, we were addressed by the Bishop of Nottingham and the closing Mass was celebrated by Bishop Paul Mason. We were particularly pleased that we were joined by some of our new couples. A well attended children’s programme was run for couples with young families. A net budget of £4,100 had been allowed for the weekend, and the net cost came well within that figure (£3,272). In addition there was a Gathering in Cambridge for the Teams Birthday in December, organized by our newest Team. Northern Region held its own Gathering in the early autumn and several Teams had their own social events or met to celebrate the Teams birthday.
The Marriage Masterclasses, organised by Teams Ireland, have continued to be available on Facebook.
The monthly Virtual Teams meetings on Zoom have been continued, though with reduced numbers.
The production and distribution of the quarterly newsletter for Equipes Notre Dame (Province of Great Britain) continued, and work continues to keep the content up to date.
Expansion
Personal contact and parish promotion has restarted, but continued to be difficult this year. Contact has been maintained with Bishops in Dioceses where the movement has the capacity to develop and it is hoped that this will start to yield benefits when we can meet again. In common with many organisations, recruiting new, and particularly young, members has become more difficult. However, information days took place in North London and Nottingham.
International
A significant part of our expenditure is a contribution to the International movement, which supports Regions with more limited resources and pays for meetings of the Transatlantic Super Region Team, costs incurred by the Super Region Responsible Couple and the cost of a Super Regional Newsletter.
Review of financial activities and affairs
In 2023 the charity had a turnover of £32,754 (total expenditure) and a deficit of £2,966, inflated by the cost of the re-Gathering. Apart from the re-Gathering and the Solidarity Fund, the turnover was £15,569 (3% higher than in 2022, £15,104) and an operating surplus of £325 (2022, £1,122). The charity depends on contributions from Team couples to support its activities. In 2023 these amounted to £12,772, 4% higher than in 2022 (£12,252). It is likely that this is partly due to the return of physical meetings. Expenditure continues to be low but part of this is due to limited expansion work, which has long term implications. The re-Gathering was organized within the net budget of £4,100, the actual net cost being £3,272.
The contribution to the Super Region was £12,000. There was no expenditure on fundraising.
The reserves of £26,000 seem adequate. Income and expenditure both increased slightly in 2023, though expenditure was slightly lower apart from the increase in the Super Region contribution. The situation always needs to be kept under review but at present seems to be satisfactory.
The Solidarity Fund stands at £823, with an additional £446 of Gift Aid due, so there is £1,269 available to support members participation in Teams events.
Signed
Date
For and on behalf of the Trustees
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EQUIPES NOTRE DAME, GREAT BRITAIN Registered Charity 1044902
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
Statement of Financial Activities
| Income Contributions from Team Couples: Regathering Bank Interest Solidarity Fund Other Receipts Refund from HMRC Total Income Expenditure Regions Regional Couples' expenses Province Administration Newsletter Publicity and expansion Insurance and licenses Payment to Transatlantic SR/ERL Solidarity Fund payments Regathering Other Expenditure Independent Examiner's Fees Total Expenditure Excess/(Deficit) of Receipts over Expenditure Transfer to Solidarity Fund Transfer from Solidarity Fund Excess/(Deficit) of Receipts over Expenditure BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2023 Surplus brought forward Plus surplus/(deficit) for year Surplus at 31 December Cash and Bank Deposits Regional Bank Current Accounts Province of GB Bank Current Account Province of GB Bank Capital Deposit Paypal account Cash and Bank Deposits Plus: Prepayments Current assets Less creditors Less Solidarity Fund |
2023 12,772 12,587 192 1,957 2,605 30,112 220 118 2,117 207 456 12,000 414 17,098 32,409 125 32,754 (2,642) 1,957 1,634 (2,966) 2023 28,351 (2,966) 25,385 0 10,628 16,046 0 26,674 26,674 466 823 25,385 |
2022 12,252 34 2,818 |
|---|---|---|
| 15,104 | ||
| 110 2,106 741 10,400 |
||
| 13,246 | ||
| 125 | ||
| 13,482 | ||
| 1,622 500 1,122 2022 27,228 1,122 |
||
| 28,351 | ||
| 844 11,316 15,854 582 |
||
| 28,596 3,694 |
||
| 32,291 3,440 500 |
||
| 28,351 |
Non monetary assets include printed
promotional material, banners and display boards
These Accounts were approved by the Trustees on
For and on behalf of the Trustees
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MEMORANDUM ACCOUNTS
Regathering Account
| Accommodation (including unused places) Speakers Programme Other materials Childrens programme Income Deficit Solidarity Fund Balance brought forward Contributions Payments Balance carried forward |
Actual £ 15,134 295 180 48 1,441 17,098 13,825 3,272 500 1,957 2,457 1,634 823 |
Budget £ 17,800 1,500 500 500 2,800 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 23,100 19.000 |
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| 4,100 |
In addition, Gift Aid of £446 can be claimed on contributions so £1,269 is available to offer support.
Accounting policies
The Financial Statements are agreed on a receipts and payments basis and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting of Charities issued by the Charity Commission. Expenditure is accrued to the financial year it applies to whilst interest and income is included when received.
Income and expenditure relating to the re-Gathering include receipts and payments shown as accruals in last year’s Accounts. The only current liabilities recognised are cheques outstanding and creditors. Current assets are not recognised until the cash is received.
Expenditure and income relating to the re-Gathering is analysed in a slightly different way in the Memorandum Account to give a full picture of the costs and income relating to the event.
Monetary Assets
The Province operates a current bank account and a capital account. The capital account earns a small amount of interest and holds cash which is not expected to be paid out in the near future. Regions no longer hold bank accounts. The Provincial Treasurers act as Treasurers to the Regions.
Annual contributions should be sent to the Provincial Treasurers and are banked centrally. Regions collect income relating to events which they organize and this is banked in the Province account, and recorded as Regional activity income.
Non monetary assets
Purchases are charged to the receipts and payments at the time of purchase. They are not held in the Accounts at a valuation unless they are held for sale or income generation. Currently there are no assets of this nature.
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