2022-12-31-accounts - Swansea And Brecon Mothers Union

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Annual Report

1[st] January to 31[st] December 2022

Theme:

Transformation – Now!

Registered Charity Number 1067728

PATRON

The Rt Revd John Lomas Bishop of Swansea and Brecon

HONORARY LIFE VICE PRESIDENTS

Mrs Ann Jackson Mrs Monica Jones Mrs Ruby Hayden Revd Kay Warrington

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

President Mrs Ruth Roberts Vice President Brecon Mrs Ella Thomas Vice President Gower Mrs Jill McPherson General Trustees Mrs Moira Bibby Mrs Ailsa Howells Mrs Jeanne Hughes Mrs Rachel Wells Mrs Alison Lawrence

Co-opted Trustee

CHAPLAIN (not Trustees)

Revd Tim Williams

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS (not Trustees)

Honorary Secretary Honorary Treasurer

Mrs Helen Williams Mrs Heather Price

NOT REPRESENTED ON TRUSTEES

Social Policy Mrs Jeanne Hughes / Alison Lawrence Diocesan Member Mrs Helen Williams Prayer Partners Mrs Sally Freedman AFIA Mrs Jill McPherson Wave of Prayer Rota Mrs Ella Thomas / Mrs Jill McPherson Social Media Mrs Helen Williams Indoor Members Mrs Rachel Wells MU News Revd Kay Warrington Retreats South Mrs Jill McPherson Retreats North Mrs Ella Thomas Prayer Chain Mrs Jill McPherson / Mrs Ella Thomas MU Enterprises Mrs Helen Williams Registered Office: The Rectory Lamb Road Penderyn Abedare CF44 9JU

Bankers:

Lloyds 38 High Street Brecon LD3 7AR

Independent Examiner:

Mr Martin Nosworthy

Nethway Victoria Road

Llandrindod Wells

LD1 6AP

Trustees' report for the year ended 31 December 2022

GOVERNING DOCUMENT

The Swansea and Brecon Diocesan Mothers’ Union is a registered charity which is governed by a constitution (revised 2015). The Charity is affiliated to the Mothers Union Worldwide which is incorporated by Royal Charter

OBJECTS

to uphold Christ’s teaching on the nature of marriage and to 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.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Mothers’ Union is a Christian organisation, which promotes the well-being of families worldwide.

This is achieved by:

Developing prayer and spiritual growth of members
Studying and reflecting on family life, marriage and its place in society
Resourcing our members to take practical action to improve conditions for families, both nationally and in the communities in which they live.

MU Prayer

Loving Lord, we thank you for your love so freely given to us all.

We pray for families around the world. Bless the work of the Mothers’ Union
as we seek to share your love through the encouragement, strengthening and support of marriage and family life. Empowered by your spirit, may we be
united in prayer and worship, and in love and service reach out as your hands across the world. In Jesus name. Amen

The Organisation

The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon covers a large and diverse area of some 120 miles in length from North to South. It stretches from Beguildy in the North to the Gower Peninsula in the South. The northern part of the Diocese is predominantly rural with a number of attractive market towns, including Brecon. It includes most of the Brecon Beacons National Park and a rich variety of stunning landscapes. The southern part is a greater mix of urban and rural and includes both the City and County of Swansea and also the Gower Peninsula, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Diocese has a border with all five other Welsh Dioceses, as well as with the English Diocese of Hereford.

The Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon is organised into 4 Deaneries, and within those deaneries there are 22 Branches. Branch members meet regularly, and events are also held at deanery and diocesan level. There are three types of membership and in 2022 there were members as follows:

Branch membership: 471 members.

Indoor membership: 16 members. These are those who no longer attend meetings because they are house bound through age, illness or because they are carers. These Members received Christmas and Easter Greetings, and Newsletters. They provide prayerful support for the ongoing work of the MU in the diocese.

Diocesan membership: 56 members . These are either recruited following branch closure and / or who do not wish to attend branch meetings but are keen to support the ethos of Mothers’ Union.

Elections of new officers are held triennially and the elections for 2022-2024 were held at the end of 2021, when the President, Trustee Board, Deanery Leaders, and Branch Officers were elected.

Responsibilities

The Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon is governed by a Trustee Board, which meets at least 4 times a year. The Board of Trustees reports to the Diocesan Council meetings which we haven’t been able to hold this due year due to COVID, and information has been distributed by post. one of the meetings being the Annual General Meeting at which the Annual Report and Accounts are presented. Induction and Training is given to new trustees at the beginning of each triennial, all are provided with and made aware of the contents of Charity Commission publication CC3. Ongoing training is provided as required.

The Trustees have identified the major risks which the charity faces, and these are addressed and reviewed on a regular basis. Charity Law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the financial activities of the Swansea and Brecon Diocesan Mothers’ Union during the year and the financial position at the end of the year.

TRUSTEES’ REVIEW OF 2022

Having been asked to take on the position of Diocesan President for the triennium beginning in 2022 I began to realise the task ahead was not going to be an easy one as we struggled to come out of the years of Covid and lockdown. Sally Freedman had been the previous D.P. and had to contend with running the MU in the Diocese during this difficult time and I thank her for that. Branches were just beginning to get back to face to face meetings and it was a trying time for us all.

As a Trustee Board we got together via Zoom for the initial meeting, but the further 3 meetings of last year were held in the South Transept of the Cathedral with the kind permission of the Cathedral staff, as the Diocesan centre was not functioning as a meeting place. There was a further problem with being able to meet for our twice-yearly Council as the Bishop Bevan Hall was also not open for us to meet there, and so it was decided to split the Council into 2 Archdeaconry areas and meet in Llandrindod and Penllergaer. This has worked well, and the attendance has been really encouraging. At the Autumn meetings we welcomed speakers from Llandaff who are the officials for the AFIA caravan holidays that we avail ourselves of when we give 4 families a holiday in the caravan in Trecco Bay. This continues to be a most worthwhile project and two Trustees went along to view the caravan on their open day in July which was a wonderful experience.

Our theme of Transformation Now has continued over these last few years and two trustees were delegates at the National Conference in Liverpool Hope University to look at ways in which our Diocese could adapt and move forward with this initiative.

(Photo: Moira Bibby, Sheran Harper WWP and Rachel Wells)

The Diocesan Festival and Commissioning service in May was well attended and it was a real pleasure for all members to meet with our new Bishop. John Lomas, and to hear his address. It was so lovely to meet up again with members across the Diocese, to place our banners in the Sanctuary and then to mingle over refreshments at the back of the Cathedral afterwards.

The monthly Archidiaconal Eucharist re-started in the South at the beginning of the Year and has been so well attended each time. We thank our chaplain, Revd. Tim Williams, for preparing such thoughtful services each month and the clerics from each church who come to celebrate the Eucharist. It is such a special time for us to meet and then to hear the differing homilies that are given. We have been able to start with a Eucharist in the Cathedral and hope that this too will become a more regular observance for the North of the Diocese this coming year - recognising that this Archdeaconry is much more spread out geographically which presents its own problems. However there have been 2 very well attended retreats at Llangasty, with one Quiet afternoon in the South. There was 1 Deanery Festival in Rhayader in September, and the D.P. and V.P. were asked to speak at a branch

meeting in Llyswen. The prayer chain is running efficiently throughout the Gower Archdeaconry with regular changes being added on a monthly basis.

There was a need for us to have a presence in the Church Pavilion at the RWAS at Llanelwedd again this year and so we helped to keep visitors hydrated on a very hot week in July.

(Photo: Alison Lawrence, Jill McPherson, Bishop John, Ruth Roberts and Ailsa Howells)

We had also planned to be back in the Wedding Fayre in the Brangwyn Hall in September, but this was cancelled owing to the death of our Monarch and Patron, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. However, we have just attended this February (‘23) and how lovely to be there promoting MU and helping with wedding related queries. Two Trustees attended the general meeting of Mothers’ Union in Belfast.

We have produced 2 copies of M.U. News with grateful thanks to Revd. Kay Warrington who edits and formats this for us in such a professional way.

Our projects remain to support Faith in Families and AFIA holidays, along with providing vital support for the Safe Houses in the North and the South with 3 “shops” a year. We have also provided prayer crosses to the Chaplaincy in Morriston Hospital.

Our Diocesan Branches observe the Worldwide Wave of Prayer each year, such an important part of our membership of this wonderful Global Christian Organisation that is the Mothers’ Union, when we pray for our links around the world and they in their turn pray for us. We also prayerfully observe the 16 days of Activism against gender violence and domestic abuse and this year a service was held simultaneously in both Llandrindod and Swansea.

There has been much change within the Diocese, we have lost so many members and now, with only 22 branches remaining, this has prompted a move away from Deaneries to a more manageable system of 2 Archdeaconries, that of Brecon and Gower, in the hope that we can support each other more easily and therefore prevent more branch closures.

We look forward to this new year of 2023 when the Diocese celebrates its Centenary year and we as the MU hope to be a visible part of that. My thanks to each one of you for your support of the Global MU and our small part of it here in Swansea & Brecon.

Ruth Roberts. Diocesan President.

“All this day, O Lord, let me touch as many lives as possible for Thee. And every life I touch do Thou by thy Spirit quicken, whether through the word I speak, the prayer I breathe, or the life I lead. Amen.” (Mary Sumner)

Financial Review

The Financial Statements are a consolidation of the Branches, Deaneries and Diocesan Accounts, which demonstrates what has been achieved as the Mothers’ Union movement in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon. This year we have seen branches being able to meet again and being more active than in the previous two years.

The total receipts for the year were £33,621, an increase of £7,731 on the previous year. Due to a reduction in the number of members subscription income fell. However, with renewed activity this year donations and fundraising increased significantly. One Branch received a legacy of £1,000.

Total payments were £32,987, an increase of £8,264 on the previous year. £8,870 was spent on projects, an increase of £3,356 on last year. After a break of 2 years, it was pleasing this year to be able to provide four Away from It All holidays. The spend on Action and Outreach of £8,870 equated to each member contributing an average of nearly £16.33, a figure to be proud of.

Where the Money Went

----- Start of picture text -----
Cost of Fundraising 0% Subscriptions to MSH 33%
Donations & Grants 2% Worldwide Projects 8%
Diocesan Projects 19% Marketing 4%
Faith & Policy 6% Adminstration & Meeting Expenses 28%
0%
28%
33%
6%
8% 2%
4%
19%
----- End of picture text -----

The financial outcome for the year showed a surplus of £635 (Branch surplus £2,241; Deanery deficit £122; Diocesan deficit £1,484) compared to a surplus of £1,167 in the previous year. The 2022 surplus has been added to reserves. The balance on reserves at 31 December was £22,607, which the Trustees consider to be reasonable.

The Annual Report was approved by the Trustees on 27 March 2023 and signed on their behalf by:

R Roberts – President

SWANSEA AND BRECON DIOCESAN MOTHERS' UNION CONSOLIDATED RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

2022 Unrestricted £	2022 Restricted £	2022 Total £	2021 Total £ 16,100.00 6,776.56 - 991.99 301.25 785.46 934.40 - - -
13,742.50 7,948.28 1,000.00 1,407.00 - 1,323.19 1,527.00 0.07 275.20	- 976.30 - - 5,421.82 - - - -	13,742.50 8,924.58 1,000.00 - 1,407.00 5,421.82 1,323.19 1,527.00 0.07 275.20
27,223.24	6,398.12	33,621.36	25,889.66
15.20 10,840.00 755.00 - 1,181.39 1,901.90 3,795.74 4,462.33 1,164.74 -	- - - 8,870.26 - - - - - -	15.20 10,840.00 755.00 8,870.26 1,181.39 1,901.90 3,795.74 4,462.33 1,164.74 -	- 12,640.00 718.00 5,513.93 547.33 (21.10) 3,090.46 1,713.30 460.00 61.06
24,116.30	8,870.26	32,986.56	24,722.98
3,106.94 (2,286.94) 820.00 21,787.29	(2,472.14) 2,286.94 (185.20) 185.20	634.80 - 634.80 21,972.49	1,166.68 - 1,166.68 20,805.81
22,607.29	(0.00)	22,607.29	21,972.49

SWANSEA AND BRECON DIOCESAN MOTHERS' UNION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022

Monetary Assets Branch Bank Accounts Deanery Bank Accounts Diocesan Bank Accounts Branch Cash in Hand Total Monetary Assets Accumulated Funds Unresticted (General) Fund Balance at 1st January Net Movement in funds Restricted Funds Balance at 1st January Net Movement in funds Total Accumulated Funds	2022 £ 21,787.29 820.00 185.20 (185.20)	2022 £ 10,610.24 429.05 11,376.82 191.18 22,607.29 22,607.29 (0.00) 22,607.29	2021 £ 8,235.78 551.20 12,861.07 324.44
			21,972.49
			21,787.29 185.20
			21,972.49

Fixed Assets

For the use of the Charity and belonging to the Unrestricted (General) Fund: Display boards (cost £213 in 2006) Powerpoint and accessories (cost £791 in 2008) President's laptop computer (cost £534 in 2013) Digital Copier (cost of half share £ 2,100 in 2013) Digital Copier (cost of half share £ 1,470 in 2015)

The Financial Statements were approved by the Trustees and were signed on its behalf by:

R Roberts - President

27 Date:March 2023

SWANSEA AND BRECON DIOCESAN MOTHERS' UNION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

Note 1 Subscriptions Branch members Diocesan Members Note 2 Action and Outreach Mothers'Union (MSH) Projects: MSH Emergency Appeal Make a Mother's Day Worldwide Projects Big Summer Appeal Sponsored Walk Diocesan Projects: Branch/Deanery Projects Away From It All Holidays Safe Houses Faith in Families Hospital Chaplaincy Crosses Note 3 Officers' and Trustees' Expenses Branches Deaneries Diocesan Note 4 Administration and Meeting Expenses Branches Deaneries Diocesan	2022 £ 12,467.50 1,275.00 13,742.50 - 468.10 1,200.00 952.00 - 595.74 1,400.00 2,069.42 2,000.00 185.00 8,870.26 - - 3,795.74 3,795.74 3,753.35 118.35 590.63 4,462.33	2021 14,850.00 1,250.00
		16,100.00
		60.00 371.00 1,000.00 931.00 - 980.32 - 2,171.61 - -
		5,513.93
		28.06 - 3,062.40
		3,090.46
		1,367.61 42.15 303.54
		1,713.30

Swansea and Brecon

Mothers’ Union

Gofal Cristnogol i Deuluoedd Accounts for the year ending 31[st] December 2022

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees

Responsibilities and Basis of Report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of 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 all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which give me cause to believe that in any material respect

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act, or
the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Martin Nosworthy

Martin Nosworthy, Nethway, Victoria Road, Llandrindod Wells LD1 6AP

Dated: 28 April 2023