2023-12-31-accounts - Mothers' Union Portsmouth Diocese

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CHARITY NUMBER 1067369

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Portsmouth Annual Report for the year ending 31[st] December 2023

Mothers’ Union in the Portsmouth Diocese, is registered with the Charity Commission (no 1067369 ). The Bishop of Portsmouth is our patron.

Mothers’ Union Aim is the advancement of the Christian religion in the sphere of marriage and family life. To carry out its aim its objectives are:

To uphold Christ’s teaching on the nature of marriage and promote its wider understanding.
To encourage parents to bring up their children in the faith and life of the Church.
To maintain a worldwide fellowship of Christians united in prayer, worship and service.
To promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children.
To help those whose family life has met with adversity.

The Trustee Board as of 1[st] January 2023

Felicity Keeping Yvette Dawson Valerie Griffiths Vacant

Diocesan President & Chair of Trustees Diocesan Secretary (Ex-officio) Diocesan Treasurer (Ex-officio) Diocesan Chaplain (Ex-officio)

Sue Williams Caroline Scull Vacant Sue Hamilton Vivien Gowlett

Archdeaconry Vice-Chair Isle of Wight Archdeaconry Vice-Chair Mainland Deanery Co-ordinator Bishops Waltham Deanery Co-ordinator Fareham and Gosport Deanery Co-ordinator Havant and Portsmouth

Vacant Paula Turner

Unit Co-ordinator Training Unit Co-ordinator Diocesan Members

Other Trustees:

Hilary Batchelor Theresa Bignall Chris Long Sabrina Gwynn

Mothers’ Union is a worldwide Christian

membership charity that aims to demonstrate the Christian faith in action through the transformation of communities worldwide .

We are working with people of all faiths and none in 83 countries to promote stable marriage, family life and the protection of children through praying, enabling and campaigning.

Our aims and objectives are:

To promote and support married life
To encourage parents in their role to develop the faith of their children
To maintain a worldwide fellowship of Christians united in prayer, worship and service
To promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children
To help those whose family life has met with adversity

Mission Statement

The Mothers’ Union is a Christian organisation which promotes the wellbeing of families world-wide.

We achieve this by:

Developing prayer and spiritual growth in families

Studying and reflecting on family life and marriage and their place in society. Resourcing our members to take practical action to improve conditions for families, both nationally and internationally and in the communities in which they live

The Mothers’ Union was established in 1876. Its purpose was to encourage parents in caring for their children, not just physically and mentally but also spiritually. From the outset it recognised that strong relationships and the role of the family, however defined, are critical in building healthy communication.

Our vision

While the ways in which we operate to fulfil that need may be different from that of the world of the 19[th] century, our vision today is still of a world where God’s love is shown through loving, respectful and flourishing relationships. This is still the essence of our work.

Our mission

We aim to show our Christian faith by the transformation of communities worldwide. We try to do this through the promotion of stable marriage, family life and the protection of children. This is our mission. It is what we aim to achieve.

Our values

There are more than four million members of the Mothers’ Union today in 83 countries around the world. Each member subscribes to the same values; the moral and ethical codes that are central to the ways in which we operate.

Firstly, we are firmly rooted in a voluntary ethos centred on mutual respect and collaboration.

Secondly, our governance, leadership and programmes are driven by and undertaken through members within their own communities worldwide.

Thirdly, we work with people of all faith and none.

The Diocese of Portsmouth

The Mother’s Union in the Portsmouth Diocese extends from Petersfield to the North, Bishops Waltham and Fareham in the West, Emsworth to the East, and all of the south including the Isle of Wight.

We currently have approximately 450 members in 22 branches.

Members of Mothers’ Union In the Portsmouth Diocese elect the Trustees every three years, 2024 is the end of our current triennium. The charity owns 1 laptop, 1 colour printer, large advertising banner, and display boards and a roll-down banner for the Wedding Fayres.

The board of Trustees acknowledges its responsibility to identify, assess and manage risks. This is undertaken on an ongoing basis regarding all activities undertaken by the Portsmouth Mother’s Union. Dynamic risk assessments are undertaken for all activities and formal documented risk assessments are carried out where any larger event for example those events involving a variety of activities and the general public.

Each Member organising an activity is responsible for the initial dynamic assessment and judge whether the activity requires a documented risk assessment. Formal risk assessment documents are available on request from the Board of Trustees and the completed forms are sent to the Trustees for approval.

During 2023

The 2023 theme is ‘Transformation Now’. This and is what Mothers’ Union has been undertaking during the last one hundred and forty years that is how we shall present our report. Transforming the lives of people we meet who need our help.

Transformation Now

We all need to rebuild hope and confidence following the Covid pandemic which has affected so many people in many ways. We need to help our members regain the confidence to start enjoying their local branches again, in person and to meet with other branches. We need to follow in Mary Sumner’s footsteps in rebuilding this hope and confidence.

Pray

Prayer is at the heart of Mothers’ Union life and all we undertake is upheld by it.

Each month on the third Wednesday at mid-day members gather in the Cathedral for Holy Communion celebrated by a member of the Cathedral staff or a member of the retired clergy in the absence of a MU diocesan chaplain assisted by members from the deaneries in rotation who read the lessons and lead the intercessions.
The 450+ members in the diocese each receive a copy of Connected, which encourages and enables daily prayer for families throughout the world. It provides information about MU projects and our link dioceses and their leaders to aid prayer and understanding. Members are encouraged to pray at mid-day each day. We also produce a Diocesan magazine ‘Contact’ which is delivered to all members in the Portsmouth Diocese to keep them up to date in events in the Diocese.
Wave of Prayer – the branches in the 3 archdeaconries, from June 15[th] to 17[th] were allocated different times to meet for the Wave of Prayer services during which we prayed for the work of MU and specially for our link dioceses abroad, these are New Guinea Islands in Papua New Guinea, Gboko in Benue State Nigeria, Bukavu Diocese in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nyahururu in Kenya.
Prayer Chain – The prayer chain is made up of a representative from each deanery. They undertake to pray regularly for those who are sick or who have asked for prayer.
Every year on Lady Day, March 25[th] , Havant and Portsmouth Deanery holds a Lady Day Service. A service on Mary Sumner Day, August 9[th] , was held in the Havant and Portsmouth Deanery.
Council and Trustee meetings begin with prayer usually led by the Diocesan President, in the absence of the Mothers’ Union Chaplain, and also at mid-day. There are two Council meetings a year, one of which includes the AGM. In addition, there are five Trustee meetings a year.
During the Sixteen Days of Activism against Gender Violence some of our branches meet to pray for people suffering from the effects of Gender violence. We also held a Zoom service for Gender Violence instead of meeting in a centralised church.
Members of Portsmouth Mothers’ Union volunteer to help at the Roberts Centre Child Contact building. ‘The Contact Centre is a place where children living with one parent can meet the parent they do not live with in a safe comfortable environment. Research tells us that children have better outcomes when they have contact with their nonresident parent. The Child Contact Centre is run by a team of trained staff and volunteers whose primary role is to help parents make sure their child’s contact experience is positive.’
We have two projects supporting Queen Alexandra Hospital. MGN Support Project (Maternity, Gynaecological and Neo-Natal Support) with supplies tiny baby-grows for the neo-natal unit and knitted matinee jackets and blankets. The knitted hats have to be made to a special pattern to allow tubes to go through the hat. We also provide black-out quilts to go on the top of the incubators. Many members sew gowns for still-born babies, they always make two of each garment so

that the bereaved parents can keep one in their memory box. If any of the knitted garments are unsuitable for the hospital, too big, too small, wrong colour etc., the finished garments are taken to the Roberts Centre for use by underprivilege families.

The Fareham and Gosport Deanery provide twiddlemuffs for people suffering from dementia. These go to a local nursing home and a local Memory Clinic.
Members in the Isle of Wight knit hats and mittens to support the Seafarers’ Mission. They also knit for the neonatal unit at St Mary’s Hospital and collect toiletries for those admitted unexpectedly to St Mary’s Hospital.
We provide recipe cards for all the Food Banks in the Portsmouth Diocese. These are suitable recipes to be made with the food given by the banks.
Throughout the year members raised funds so that we can provide a week’s holiday or days away for families who are unable to fund a holiday themselves.

We provide holidays or breaks for vulnerable families who are recommended to us by the clergy or other organizations such as schools. We offer days out or short-break holidays. We also provide an annual AFIA day at Leigh on Solent for families from the local Women’s refuges.

This year we gave 23 families a break at the seaside. Unfortunately, rain prohibited us from going to the actual seaside, but we maintained the quality of the day by organizing games in the local Church Hall in the morning and visiting an Ice rink in the afternoon. We had a fish and chip lunch followed by tea on our return from the Ice rink. We are supported by a faithful group of volunteers who join in the fun with the families.

We sent a single mother and her daughter to the Isle of Wight for the day so that they could spend some ‘quality time’ together.

We sent five families away to local holiday parks for a short break of three or four nights. We usually use parks at Selsey and Bognor Regis but we did venture into Dorset for a family who really enjoyed their break.

Two of our members look after the MUe (Mothers’ Union enterprises) stall. They sell cards, badges, gifts etc., that are ordered from Mary Sumner House. The proceeds go to help the running of Central Mothers Union and a percentage is received back annually.
Members from different branches run Mothers & Baby groups. With the ‘cost of living’ crisis, more families are now turning to Grandparents to look after their children during the day whilst they work. We now provide Grandparent and Toddler groups which give the Grandparents support and enables them to socialize and combat isolation. The friendship thy make at the groups often continues when the grandchildren move on to school.
Many branches also provide ‘bags of love’ to parents whose children are starting reception class at a local school. These bags include a teabag, a pouch of tissues, a bar of chocolate and a prayer. These gifts are welcomed by the parents.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees: Felicity Keeping Portsmouth Diocesan President

Charity Name No (if any) Mothers' Union Portsmouth Diocese 1067369 Receipts and payments accounts For the period Period start date To from 01/01/2023 ~~a~~ Section A Receipts and payments

CC16a

Period start date Period end date To 01/01/2023 31/12/2023

Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds

Total funds Last year

	Unrestricted funds		Restricted funds	Endowment funds	Total funds	Last year
	to the nearest £	to the nearest £	to the nearest £	to the nearest £	to the nearest £	to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
From Donors	16,583		-	-	16,583	15,361
Other VoluntaryResources	80		-	-	80	288
OperatingActivities	5,311		-	-	5,311	5,264
Fund Raising	12,783		4,430	-	17,213	4,118
Investments	417		228	-	645	240
	-		-	-	-	-
	-		-	-	-	-
	-		-	-	-	-
*Sub total*(Gross income for	(Gross income for
AR)	AR)35,174		4,658	-	39,832	25,271
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - - - - - - - - ~~*Sub total~~- - - - - Total receipts* 35,174 4,658 - 39,832 25,271 ~~——————~~
A3 Payments
Projects	-		5,227	-	5,227	7,371
Activities relatingto MU	16,743		50	-	16,793	15,400
Management & Admin	16,308		-	-	16,308	4,263
	-		-	-	-	20
	-		-	-	-	-
	-		-	-	-	-
	-		-	-	-	-
	-		-	-	-	-
	-		-	-	-	-
**Sub total **	33,051		5,277	-	38,328	27,054
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total payments 33,051 5,277 - 38,328 27,054 *Net of receipts/(payments)* 2,123 - 619 - 1,504 - 1,783 A5 Transfers between funds - - - - - A6 Cash funds last year end 18,010 13,441 - 31,451 33,234 *Cash funds this year end* 20,133 12,822 - 32,955 31,451 ~~——————~~ ~~SSS~~ ~~SS=~~

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

17/09/2024

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period	Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period	Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds CCXX R2 accounts (SS)	Current Account Business Accout Details Details *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Deposit Account Afia Fund Afia Fund Deposit Details Details Details Signature ~~2~~	Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 11,757 - 6,279 2,829 2,097 2,651 - 7,342 20,133 12,822 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name	Endowment funds to nearest £
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			Date of approval

	~~2~~		~~17/09/2024~~

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Mothers, Union Portsmouth Diocese On accounts for the year ended 318t December 2023 Charity no (if any) 1067369 Set out on pages 1&2 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 31112 12023. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of basls of report the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {"the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out, my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)<b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed on page 2) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Independent examiner's statement Slgned: Date: 1710412024 Name.. Gill Lodge Relevant professional quallflcatlon(s) or body (if any): FCCA Address: University of Portsmouth Richmond Building Portland Street Portsmouth P013DE IER October 2018

Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32. Independent examination of charty accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). The trustees, annual report was not available at the time of the independent examination. Give here brief detalls of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018