## **Southlands Methodist Trust**
## **Review of Activities and Achievements 2024–25**
## **Overview and strategic context**
During 2024–25, Southlands Methodist Trust (SMT) advanced its charitable purposes through activities in three interrelated areas:
1. Supporting values-led higher education and student development through Southlands College at the University of Roehampton.
2. Enabling research, knowledge exchange and innovation through the Susanna Wesley Foundation (SWF).
3. Contributing higher education expertise to Methodist mission in primary and secondary education through collaboration, research and sector leadership.
These activities were undertaken for the public benefit, primarily through enhancing educational opportunity, supporting student wellbeing and inclusion, strengthening research-informed practice in church and education contexts, and enabling collaboration between higher education and faith-based institutions.
During the year, trustees confirmed a refreshed strategic plan for SMT, developed in consultation with senior leadership in the Methodist Church. Trustees also initiated work to strengthen organisational capacity, clarify priorities and develop more systematic approaches to measuring impact.
## **- 1. Supporting values led higher education: Southlands College**
## **Student engagement, belonging and leadership**
SMT supported Southlands College in delivering a comprehensive programme of community-building and learning activities designed to enhance student belonging, participation and leadership development. SMT’s contribution included funding for key staffing within the college team and grant funding for initiatives delivered in partnership with academic departments, chaplaincy, external organisations and student leaders.
During the year, Southlands College delivered **161 events** with **over 10,000 attendances** , representing a **45% increase** in attendance compared with the previous year. Student leadership played a central role in delivery: student leaders **planned, delivered and evaluated 88 events** and supported a further **48 events** , representing a **52% increase** in student-led provision.
Activities supported students across the academic lifecycle, including induction and welcome provision, cultural and intercultural events, employability and skills development workshops, and off-campus learning and community engagement opportunities. These activities contributed to improved student participation, confidence and engagement with the wider university community.
## **Student leadership development and outcomes**
SMT continued to support the Student Leadership Certificate, including enhancements to training provision, diversification of pedagogical approaches and development of a virtual learning environment. During 2024–25, the programme was extended to student leaders across the university’s sister colleges, broadening its institutional impact.
Outcome data for a cohort of **71 Southlands student leaders** indicated improved academic progression and employment outcomes:
- **93% course completion** , compared with a university average of 82%.
- **98% graduate-level employment among leavers after 15 months** compared with a university average of 68%.
These outcomes indicate that SMT-supported leadership development contributed to enhanced educational attainment and graduate employability.
## **Music and creative participation**
SMT supported music as a means of engagement, creativity and community formation within the college. Improvements in management processes and communication of music provision contributed to a **48% increase** in Music Room usage over the academic year.
The music scholarship programme received **33 applications** and supported **7 scholars** , who contributed to performances across college and university events. Southlands supported **21 music-focused events** , including workshops, studentled performances and institutional celebrations.
## **Recognition, scholarships and hardship support**
SMT supported prizes recognising values-led achievement within the college community, including awards for educational leadership, contribution to community music and student chapel engagement.
SMT also continued funding for scholarships and bursaries established as part of the College’s 150th anniversary legacy, including teaching scholarships, anniversary scholarships, a professional doctorate scholarship in practical theology and emergency hardship support.
During the year, trustees consolidated remaining designated funds and bursary donations into two revised funding streams:
- A student Emergency Fund, managed through chaplaincy and college leadership to address acute hardship and living costs.
- A Head of College fund to support innovation in student engagement, with a particular focus on vulnerable students.
These funds strengthened SMT’s capacity to respond to financial hardship and barriers to participation among students.
## **Alumni engagement and archives**
SMT funded the Archives Historian role, supporting both archival stewardship and alumni engagement. Alumni communication was sustained through the annual magazine _The Southlander_ , alongside ongoing relationship-building with former students, staff and families connected to the college.
## **2. Chaplaincy: wellbeing, inclusion and spiritual development**
SMT supported Methodist chaplaincy at Southlands College through financial, staffing and participatory contributions, working in coordination with the wider multi-faith chaplaincy team.
During 2024–25, the Chaplaincy Community Worker post was vacant. SMT supported continuity through temporary staffing and planned transitional provision for 2025–26.
## **Pastoral support and wellbeing**
Chaplaincy provided pastoral and bereavement support to students and staff, including through a Listening Service offering structured and sustained support. This provision contributed to student wellbeing and resilience, particularly for those experiencing crisis or personal difficulty.
## **Responding to hardship and community need**
SMT funded initiatives addressing student hardship and wellbeing, including six months’ funding for a part-time Project Officer to manage a Community Fridge project providing free food for students in need and reducing food waste. Chaplaincy also coordinated an Advent hygiene products collection to support students facing financial hardship.
## **Student-led initiatives and inclusion**
Through the Southlands Venture Fund, SMT supported student-led initiatives addressing issues affecting the community. During the year, one award funded the chapel-based exhibition **“UR Neurobeautiful”** , focused on neurodiversity and affirmation. The exhibition attracted **over 200 participants** from across faculties and student support services and incorporated interactive learning elements.
## **Faith, spirituality and inclusive practice**
Chaplaincy sustained opportunities for inclusive worship and faith engagement, supported multi-faith activity and developed digital resources. Chaplaincy also supported inclusive community provision, including development and maintenance of a Sensory Room in the College Chapel and outreach activity supporting religious literacy and diversity.
## **3. Research and knowledge exchange: the Susanna Wesley Foundation**
The Susanna Wesley Foundation (SWF) continued to operate as SMT’s primary mechanism for enabling research, dialogue and innovation for the benefit of churches, schools and communities, integrating academic and practitioner perspectives.
## **10th anniversary and impact**
On **26 March 2025** , SWF marked its tenth anniversary with an exhibition, symposium and dinner under the theme _Learning to Make a Difference_ . The programme highlighted the practical impact of SWF-supported work across faith, education and community contexts.
Illustrative projects included research on clean energy awareness in partnership with a Methodist charity in Kenya, and development of educational resources based on humanities research into overlooked figures in British social history.
## **Academic community and theological action research**
SWF continued sponsorship of doctoral students in theology and support for practical theology seminars at Roehampton. SWF also enabled theological action research contributing to Methodist Church learning, including work supporting Faith and Order engagement with questions of online worship and sacramental practice.
## **Partnerships and networks**
SWF strengthened its convening role through partnerships with UK and European institutions and networks, including collaboration in Leuven and with the Theological Action Research Network (TARN). SWF also contributed funding to research and resource development addressing forced migration and refugee integration.
Across the year, SWF participated in scholarly and practitioner networks, supporting dissemination of learning and development of collaborative initiatives.
## **Thematic work and chaplaincy research**
SWF sustained thematic work in areas including hope, learning, and diversity and inclusion. Chaplaincy emerged as a growing focus during the year, with progress on research into impact in higher education chaplaincy, including piloting a reflective evaluation tool with chaplains across the sector.
## **4. Grants supporting innovation and applied research**
SMT’s grant-making supported innovative research and knowledge exchange aligned to its charitable purposes.
From the previous year’s Roehampton-focused funding round, progress was made in **seven of ten** selected projects during 2024–25, notwithstanding administrative delays and extended timelines. Projects addressed areas
including inclusive education for pupils with SEND, international student wellbeing, embodied education in dance, neurodiverse student transitions, unpaid labour and mental health, and creative heritage projects.
During the year, trustees broadened the scope of future grants so that applications could be received from UK Methodist and Methodist-related institutions, aligned to SWF priorities including learning for ministry, identity and wellbeing in ministry, diversity and community, and organisational development.
## **5. Historic college archives**
SMT continued to employ the Archives Historian and, with university support, advanced archival stewardship, digitisation and collection development.
A major public engagement outcome of the year was the exhibition **“Remarkable Women: Making a Difference in Education and Beyond”** , profiling **36** women associated with the university’s colleges whose contributions shaped education and society. The exhibition strengthened collaboration across the four colleges.
Ongoing archival work included cataloguing, digitisation of sermons, appropriate disposal of unrelated material and proactive collection of new materials, including alumni and staff reminiscences. Further development of the exhibition is anticipated in 2026.
## **6. International Methodist higher education networks**
SMT contributed to Methodist higher education internationally through participation in regional and global networks, including IAMSCU and MTSE. SMT staff participated in international gatherings, including a meeting in South Africa focused on the future of Methodist education in Africa.
SMT leadership supported development of international collaboration, including establishment of a chaplaincy working group and shaping grant frameworks to support collaborative research across Methodist higher education institutions, with SMT committing match funding for initial phases.
## **7. Supporting Methodist mission in schools**
SMT supported Methodist primary and secondary schools through collaboration and sector leadership, including trustee-level engagement in Methodist education bodies.
During the year, SMT leadership worked with partners to develop plans for a major project on Christian leadership development for teachers, governors and other leaders. SMT also committed funding during the year to support a conference for leaders in Methodist schools, including design, branding and
promotion. (The conference was delivered after the reporting period, in November 2025.)
SMT’s grant-making also supported research relevant to schools and the wider education sector, including projects addressing inclusive practice for pupils with SEND.
## **Forward outlook**
Trustees have committed to strengthening SMT’s organisational capacity through expanded staffing and grant-making, alongside development of clearer approaches to impact evaluation. Future activity will focus on implementing the new strategic plan, including SWF’s role in equipping the church through research and resources, and sustained support for student flourishing and values-led education through Southlands College.
## **Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)**
SMT recognises that its charitable purposes are advanced not only through programme delivery but also through responsible environmental, social and governance practice. During 2024–25, trustees strengthened SMT’s approach to ESG, aligning financial, operational and programme activity with commitments to sustainability, inclusion and ethical stewardship.
## **Environmental responsibility**
During the year, SMT achieved **certified carbon neutral status** and made **significant investments in climate stewardship funds** , ensuring that its financial resources are deployed in ways consistent with environmental responsibility and long-term sustainability. Environmental themes were also reflected in SMT-supported activity, including campus-based sustainability initiatives at Southlands College and research addressing clean energy and the impacts of extractive economic models.
## **Social responsibility and inclusion**
A commitment to widening participation in education and addressing social marginalisation remained a consistent theme across SMT’s work. SMT-supported programmes contributed to improved student outcomes, including higher completion and graduate employment rates among student leaders. SMT also supported initiatives addressing SEND, neurodiversity and student financial hardship, alongside wider research and dialogue on inequality, identity and justice through the Susanna Wesley Foundation.
## **Governance and ethical practice**
During the year, SMT strengthened its governance framework through the establishment of trustee sub-committees with defined responsibilities across key areas, including financial oversight, data security, safeguarding, risk management and ethical practice. These arrangements enhanced accountability
and supported more systematic integration of ESG considerations into SMT’s decision-making.
## Southlands Methodist Trust Report and Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 August 2025
The Southlands Methodist Trust is a charity of the Methodist Church in Britain Registered charity number 1100660
Southlands College 80 Roehampton Lane London SW15 5SL SWF@roehampton.ac.uk www.susannawesleyfoundation.org 020 8392 4462
1
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
|**Trustees:**||
|---|---|
||Canon Dr Jennifer Smith, Chair to January 2026|
||Rev Dr Stan Brown|
||Rev Dr J Cox-Darling|
||Dr Clive Norris (resigned June 2025)|
||Mr Alan Davies, Deputy Chair|
||Rev Geoffrey Farrar|
||Mrs Barbara Easton (appointed September 2023, resigned June 2025)|
||Mr Bala Gnanapragasam (appointed November 2024)|
||Mr Julian Christopher (appointed November 2024)|
||Rev Dr Helen Cameron (appointed November 2025)|
||Rev Dr Jonathan Dean (appointed November 2025, Chair February 2026)|
|
**Chief Executive:**|Dr Christopher Stephens|
|**Registered office:**|Southlands College|
||80 Roehampton Lane|
||London|
||SW15 5SL|
|**Auditors:**|HaysMac LLP|
||Chartered Accountants|
||10 Queen Street Place|
||London EC4R 1AG|
|**Bankers:**|Methodist Central Finance Board|
||9 Bonhill Street|
||London|
||EC2A 4PE|
||HSBC|
||West End Corporate Banking Centre|
||70 Pall Mall|
||London|
||SW1Y 5EZ|
|**Solicitors:**|Anthony Collins|
||134 Edmund Street|
||Birmingham|
||B3 2ES|
|**Investment managers:**|Epworth Investment Management Ltd|
||Methodist Church House|
||25 Tavistock Place|
||London|
||WC1H 9SF|
Southlands Methodist Trust. Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
2
**SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
**TRUSTEES’ REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
## **STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The Trustees present their report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2025. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities (SORP 2015) (Second Edition, effective 1 January 2019), in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity.
The Southlands Methodist Trust (SMT) is a registered unincorporated charity (Charity number 1100660). The Governing Document is a Deed of Trust.
Trustees are appointed by a decision of Methodist Council, at the recommendation of members of the Trustees. When vacancies arise, a sub-group of the trustee board is formed in order to conduct a search process. This includes both direct approaches and approaches through the Church’s Connexional Team, asking for expressions of interest. From time to time, advertisements of vacancies are also used in the press. CVs of those expressing interest in appointments are considered by the sub-group and brought to a full meeting of the trustee board, where a decision is made to recommend names to Council. Trustees are given training as and when considered useful.
## **RISK ASSESSMENT**
The Trustees have active involvement in the day to day running of the charity. This involvement ensures that they are fully aware of the risks and required action to sufficiently mitigate those risks. The trustees have identified the following risks:
- Investments will drop in value
- Grants made will not be used in accordance with the charity’s wishes.
- The sale of the main asset of the Trust has ended the fixed income pattern for the charity and led to some uncertainty for planning future work.
Action taken to mitigate the risks:
- The investments are managed by the Methodist Central Finance Board and the trustees have confidence in their ability to manage them competently.
- Grants are considered by specialist sub-groups and approved for payment at trustees meetings, following a scrutiny process.
- Trustees maintain a comprehensive risk assessment across all relevant areas, which is updated by staff regularly and reviewed at a full meeting of the trustee board at least annually.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
The aims and purposes of the charity are:
- 1) as part of the work carried out through the Discipleship and Ministries Learning Network, to support in association with the College and University the development of Christian, and specifically Methodist, scholarship, research and innovation, of local, national and global significance and to facilitate the public dissemination of such developments.
- 2) to enable members of the Methodist community and wider public in Britain and internationally to benefit from the academic and other expertise and experience within the College and the University and the facilities available within them.
- 3) To enrich the community life of the College and the work of its chaplaincy in ways that reflect its Methodist values and ethos.
- 4) to maintain and develop the relationship between the Methodist Church, the College and the University in the context of developing the contribution made to the work carried out through the Discipleship and Ministries Learning Network.
Southlands Methodist Trust. Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
3
**SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (continued)**
- 5) to further the wider charitable purposes of the Methodist Church through close working with the other persons and bodies responsible for the work carried out through the Discipleship and Ministries Learning Network.
## **Fundraising**
SMT does not fundraise with the public and has not received any complaints in this regard during the year.
## **Public benefit**
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission in determining the activities undertaken by the Charity. The Trustees review the activities of the Charity against its aims on an ongoing basis and are satisfied that all activities continue to be related to the aims which are set in such a way as to benefit society as a whole. Grant applicants are also asked to demonstrate how their work will contribute to the public benefit. The benefits are set out in the review of activities shown below.
## **Review of Activities and Achievements 2024–25**
## **Overview and strategic context**
During 2024–25, Southlands Methodist Trust (SMT) advanced its charitable purposes through activities in three interrelated areas:
1. Supporting values-led higher education and student development through Southlands College at the University of Roehampton.
2. Enabling research, knowledge exchange and innovation through the Susanna Wesley Foundation (SWF).
3. Contributing higher education expertise to Methodist mission in primary and secondary education through collaboration, research and sector leadership.
These activities were undertaken for the public benefit, primarily through enhancing educational opportunity, supporting student wellbeing and inclusion, strengthening research-informed practice in church and education contexts, and enabling collaboration between higher education and faith-based institutions.
During the year, trustees confirmed a refreshed strategic plan for SMT, developed in consultation with senior leadership in the Methodist Church. Trustees also initiated work to strengthen organisational capacity, clarify priorities and develop more systematic approaches to measuring impact.
## **- 1. Supporting values led higher education: Southlands College Student engagement, belonging and leadership**
SMT supported Southlands College in delivering a comprehensive programme of community-building and learning activities designed to enhance student belonging, participation and leadership development. SMT’s contribution included funding for key staffing within the college team and grant funding for initiatives delivered in partnership with academic departments, chaplaincy, external organisations and student leaders.
- During the year, Southlands College delivered 161 events with over 10,000 attendances, representing a 45% increase in attendance compared with the previous year. Student leadership played a central role in delivery: student leaders planned, delivered and evaluated 88 events and supported a further 48 events, representing a 52% increase in student-led provision.
- Activities supported students across the academic lifecycle, including induction and welcome provision, cultural and intercultural events, employability and skills development workshops, and off-campus learning and community
Southlands Methodist Trust. Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
4
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
- engagement opportunities. These activities contributed to improved student participation, confidence and engagement with the wider university community.
Student leadership development and outcomes
SMT continued to support the Student Leadership Certificate, including enhancements to training provision, diversification of pedagogical approaches and development of a virtual learning environment. During 2024–25, the programme was extended to student leaders across the university’s sister colleges, broadening its institutional impact.
- Outcome data for a cohort of 71 Southlands student leaders indicated improved academic progression and employment outcomes:
- 93% course completion, compared with a university average of 82%.
- 98% graduate-level employment among leavers after 15 months, compared with a university average of 68%.
- These outcomes indicate that SMT-supported leadership development contributed to enhanced educational attainment and graduate employability.
## **Music and creative participation**
SMT supported music as a means of engagement, creativity and community formation within the college. Improvements in management processes and communication of music provision contributed to a 48% increase in Music Room usage over the academic year.
- The music scholarship programme received 33 applications and supported 7 scholars, who contributed to performances across college and university events. Southlands supported 21 music-focused events, including workshops, student-led performances and institutional celebrations.
## **Recognition, scholarships and hardship support**
SMT supported prizes recognising values-led achievement within the college community, including awards for educational leadership, contribution to community music and student chapel engagement.
SMT also continued funding for scholarships and bursaries established as part of the College’s 150th anniversary legacy, including teaching scholarships, anniversary scholarships, a professional doctorate scholarship in practical theology and emergency hardship support.
- During the year, trustees consolidated remaining designated funds and bursary donations into two revised funding streams:
- A student Emergency Fund, managed through chaplaincy and college leadership to address acute hardship and living costs.
- A Head of College fund to support innovation in student engagement, with a particular focus on vulnerable students.
These funds strengthened SMT’s capacity to respond to financial hardship and barriers to participation among students.
## **Alumni engagement and archives**
SMT funded the Archives Historian role, supporting both archival stewardship and alumni engagement. Alumni communication was sustained through the annual magazine _The Southlander_ , alongside ongoing relationshipbuilding with former students, staff and families connected to the college.
## **2. Chaplaincy: wellbeing, inclusion and spiritual development**
SMT supported Methodist chaplaincy at Southlands College through financial, staffing and participatory contributions, working in coordination with the wider multi-faith chaplaincy team.
During 2024–25, the Chaplaincy Community Worker post was vacant. SMT supported continuity through temporary staffing and planned transitional provision for 2025–26.
## **Pastoral support and wellbeing**
**Chaplaincy provided pastoral and bereavement support to students and staff, including through a Listening** Service offering structured and sustained support. This provision contributed to student wellbeing and resilience, particularly for those experiencing crisis or personal difficulty.
## **Responding to hardship and community need**
SMT funded initiatives addressing student hardship and wellbeing, including six months’ funding for a part-time Project Officer to manage a Community Fridge project providing free food for students in need and reducing food waste. Chaplaincy also coordinated an Advent hygiene products collection to support students facing financial hardship. **Student-led initiatives and inclusion**
Southlands Methodist Trust. Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
5
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
Through the Southlands Venture Fund, SMT supported student-led initiatives addressing issues affecting the community. During the year, one award funded the chapel-based exhibition “UR Neurobeautiful”, focused on neurodiversity and affirmation. The exhibition attracted over 200 participants from across faculties and student support services and incorporated interactive learning elements.
## **Faith, spirituality and inclusive practice**
Chaplaincy sustained opportunities for inclusive worship and faith engagement, supported multi-faith activity and developed digital resources. Chaplaincy also supported inclusive community provision, including **development** and maintenance of a Sensory Room in the College Chapel and outreach activity supporting religious literacy and diversity.
## **3. Research and knowledge exchange: the Susanna Wesley Foundation**
The Susanna Wesley Foundation (SWF) continued to operate as SMT’s primary mechanism for enabling research, dialogue and innovation for the benefit of churches, schools and communities, integrating academic and practitioner perspectives. The Foundation facilitates research and inquiry which is of benefit to churches but also more widely, with the aim of building flourishing, inclusive communities.
## **10th anniversary and impact**
- On 26 March 2025, SWF marked its tenth anniversary with an exhibition, symposium and dinner under the theme _Learning to Make a Difference_ . The programme highlighted the practical impact of SWF-supported work across faith, education and community contexts.
- Illustrative projects included research on clean energy awareness in partnership with a Methodist charity in Kenya, and development of educational resources based on humanities research into overlooked figures in British social history.
## **Academic community and theological action research**
SWF continued sponsorship of doctoral students in theology and support for practical theology seminars at Roehampton. SWF also enabled theological action research contributing to Methodist Church learning, including work supporting Faith and Order engagement with questions of online worship and sacramental practice.
## **Partnerships and networks**
SWF strengthened its convening role through partnerships with UK and European institutions and networks, including collaboration in Leuven and with the Theological Action Research Network (TARN). SWF also contributed funding to research and resource development addressing forced migration and refugee integration.
- Across the year, SWF participated in scholarly and practitioner networks, supporting dissemination of learning and development of collaborative initiatives.
## **Thematic work and chaplaincy research**
SWF sustained thematic work in areas including hope, learning, and diversity and inclusion. Chaplaincy emerged as a growing focus during the year, with progress on research into impact in higher education chaplaincy, including piloting a reflective evaluation tool with chaplains across the sector.
## **4. Grants supporting innovation and applied research**
SMT’s grant-making supported innovative research and knowledge exchange aligned to its charitable purposes.
From the previous year’s Roehampton-focused funding round, progress was made in seven of ten selected projects during 2024–25, notwithstanding administrative delays and extended timelines. Projects addressed areas including inclusive education for pupils with SEND, international student wellbeing, embodied education in dance, neurodiverse student transitions, unpaid labour and mental health, and creative heritage projects.
- During the year, trustees broadened the scope of future grants so that applications could be received from UK Methodist and Methodist-related institutions, aligned to SWF priorities including learning for ministry, identity and wellbeing in ministry, diversity and community, and organisational development.
## **5. Historic college archives**
SMT continued to employ the Archives Historian and, with university support, advanced archival stewardship, digitisation and collection development.
- A major public engagement outcome of the year was the exhibition “Remarkable Women: Making a Difference in Education and Beyond”, profiling 36 women associated with the university’s colleges whose contributions shaped education and society. The exhibition strengthened collaboration across the four colleges.
Southlands Methodist Trust. Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
6
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
## **6. International Methodist higher education networks**
Ongoing archival work included cataloguing, digitisation of sermons, appropriate disposal of unrelated material and proactive collection of new materials, including alumni and staff reminiscences. Further development of the exhibition is anticipated in 2026.
SMT contributed to Methodist higher education internationally through participation in regional and global networks, including IAMSCU and MTSE. SMT staff participated in international gatherings, including a meeting in South Africa focused on the future of Methodist education in Africa.
SMT leadership supported development of international collaboration, including establishment of a chaplaincy working group and shaping grant frameworks to support collaborative research across Methodist higher education institutions, with SMT committing match funding for initial phases.
## **7. Supporting Methodist mission in schools**
SMT supported Methodist primary and secondary schools through collaboration and sector leadership, including trustee-level engagement in Methodist education bodies.
During the year, SMT leadership worked with partners to develop plans for a major project on Christian leadership development for teachers, governors and other leaders. SMT also committed funding during the year to support a conference for leaders in Methodist schools, including design, branding and promotion. (The conference was delivered after the reporting period, in November 2025.)
- SMT’s grant-making also supported research relevant to schools and the wider education sector, including projects addressing inclusive practice for pupils with SEND.
## **Forward outlook**
Trustees have committed to strengthening SMT’s organisational capacity through expanded staffing and grant-making, alongside development of clearer approaches to impact evaluation. Future activity will focus on implementing the new strategic plan, including SWF’s role in equipping the church through research and resources, and sustained support for student flourishing and values-led education through Southlands College.
## **Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)**
SMT recognises that its charitable purposes are advanced not only through programme delivery but also through responsible environmental, social and governance practice. During 2024–25, trustees strengthened SMT’s approach to ESG, aligning financial, operational and programme activity with commitments to sustainability, inclusion and ethical stewardship.
## **Environmental responsibility**
During the year, SMT achieved certified carbon neutral status and made significant investments in climate stewardship funds, ensuring that its financial resources are deployed in ways consistent with environmental responsibility and long-term sustainability. Environmental themes were also reflected in SMT-supported activity, including campusbased sustainability initiatives at Southlands College and research addressing clean energy and the impacts of extractive economic models.
## **Social responsibility and inclusion**
A commitment to widening participation in education and addressing social marginalisation remained a consistent theme across SMT’s work. SMT-supported programmes contributed to improved student outcomes, including higher completion and graduate employment rates among student leaders. SMT also supported initiatives addressing SEND, neurodiversity and student financial hardship, alongside wider research and dialogue on inequality, identity and justice through the Susanna Wesley Foundation.
## **Governance and ethical practice**
During the year, SMT strengthened its governance framework through the establishment of trustee sub-committees with defined responsibilities across key areas, including financial oversight, data security, safeguarding, risk management and ethical practice. These arrangements enhanced accountability and supported more systematic integration of ESG considerations into SMT’s decision-making.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
At the start of the year the net assets of the Trust amounted to £11,788,821 of which £800,000 was an expendable endowment and the remaining £10,988,821 represented general funds. Income is derived from interest on and dividends from the invested assets and cash held on deposit. This amounted to £521,309. The net deficit for the year was £163,174.
Southlands Methodist Trust. Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
7
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
The Trust does not undertake public fundraising activities. Expenditure during the year totalled £728,065, the majority of which was expended on charitable activities.
More details of the financial position of the charity are set out in the Statement of Financial Activities, together with the Balance Sheet and Notes to the Financial Statements.
In accordance with the Trust Deed, the Trustees hold, as an expendable endowment, £800,000. The trustees policy with regards the investment of the endowed funds is that all income and gains are credited to the unrestricted funds to be applied in accordance with the terms of the endowment.
The Trust’s reserves (after allowing for amounts tied up in fixed assets) amounts to £10,821,793. The trustees’ general policy on reserves is that, unless there is an exceptional reason to seek permission to utilise the expendable endowment, they will maintain it.
Reserves outside of the expendable endowment are invested as a means to generate income for the activities of the charity. In line with the charity’s strategic work plan and investment strategy, both income and capital will be used to achieve the aims of the charity.
Trustees will retain a minimum of 1 year of Operating and Capital Costs as cash reserves, being approximately £1m, which is substantially lower than the cash reserves of £10.3m which are held as at year end, but the Trustees have undertaken a strategic review of investments, so this position will change during the next financial year.
Substantially all of the income (£521,309) for the Trust was derived from Dividends and Interest on investment funds and cash assets, and donations, in line with forecasts.
## **INVESTMENT POLICY AND PERFORMANCE**
The charity’s policy is to invest surplus funds to generate the greatest income to achieve the goals of the charity. Due to high interest rates, the Trustees have decided to keep the Mount Clare net proceeds in a cash account while they undertake a strategic review. This has now been completed and the decision was made to invest £5m in an investment fund managed by Epworth Investment Management Ltd. The trustees have monitored the performance during the year and are satisfied with the returns earned and capital growth. While interest rates remain high, trustees have agreed to keep £5m in cash, reviewing performance at least annually to ensure this balance ensures the best possible (and most reliable) income.
## **KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL**
The charity’s key management personnel consist of the Research Director and the Chief Executive. Their pay is agreed annually by the trustees in line with industry averages.
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE’S RESPONSIBILITIES**
The trustees are required by law to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the end of the financial year and of the surplus or deficit for that year. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- follow applicable accounting standards, and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charities and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charities and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees confirm that the investments have been acquired in accordance with their powers and that the charities can meet all their obligations.
Southlands Methodist Trust. Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
8
## **AUDITORS**
A resolution re-appointing HaysMac LLP will be proposed at the forthcoming Trustees’ meeting.
## **BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES**
## Jonathan Dean
**Rev Jonathan Dean, Chair of Trustees** 29[th] June 2026
Southlands Methodist Trust. Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
9
**INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of Southlands Methodist Trust for the year ended 31 August 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 _The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland_ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the charity’s affairs as at 31 August 2025 and of the charity’s net movement in funds for the year then ended;
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
## **Basis for opinion**
We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder. We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
## **Conclusions relating to going concern**
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the ISAs (UK) require us to report to you where:
- the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is not appropriate; or
- the trustees have not disclosed in the financial statements any identified material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt about the charity’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting for a period of at least twelve months from the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
## **Other information**
The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Trustees’ Annual Report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- adequate accounting records have not been kept by the charity; or
- sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or
- the charity financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
## **Responsibilities of trustees for the financial statements**
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
10
## **INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST (continued)**
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements**
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
Based on our understanding of the charity and the environment in which it operates, we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to compliance with Canon law, employment law and health and safety regulations, and we considered the extent to which non-compliance might have a material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements such as Canon Law, the Charities Act 2011, The Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities (SORP 2019), FRS102 and payroll taxes.
We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls), and determined that the principal risks were related to recognition of income and management bias in certain accounting estimates. Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:
- Inspecting trustees’ minutes
- Inspecting correspondence with regulators and tax authorities;
- Discussions with management including consideration of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulation and fraud;
- Evaluating management’s controls designed to prevent and detect irregularities;
- Identifying and testing journals, in particular journal entries posted at the year-end or those with unusual descriptions; and
- Challenging assumptions and judgements made by management in their critical accounting estimates, including the valuation of the charity’s investment property.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
11
## **INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST (continued)**
## **Use of our report**
This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and regulations made under section 154 of that Act. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity’s trustees as a body for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
HaysMac LLP Statutory Auditors 10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1AG
> Date: 30 June 2026
Haysmac LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006
12
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
|||**Unrestricted**|**Endowment**|**Total funds**|**Total Funds**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**funds**|**funds**|**2025**|**2024**|
||**Notes**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Income and endowments from:**||||||
|Donations and legacies||258|-|258|6,936|
|Charitable activities||105|-|105|-|
|Investments|2|520,946|-|520,946|429,056|
|||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|**Total income**||521,309|-|521,309|435,992|
|||----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
|**Expenditure on:**||||||
|Raising funds|3|47,929|-|47,929|15,000|
|Charitable activities|4|680,136|-|680,136|807,551|
|||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|**Total expenditure**|6|728,065|-|728,065|822,551|
|||----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
|**Net (expenditure) before gains and**||||||
|**losses on investments**||(206,756)|-|(206,756)|(386,559)|
|Net gains/(losses) on investments|09/12|16,449|27,133|43,582|192,595|
|||----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
|**Net (expenditure)/**||||||
|**net movement in funds**||(190,307)|27,133|(163,174)|(193,964)|
|**Reconciliation of funds:**||||||
|Balance brought forward at||||||
|1 September 2024||10,915,193|873,628|11,788,821|11,982,785|
|||--------------------|----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
|**BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD**||||||
|**AT 31 AUGUST 2025**|15|£10,825,647|£900,761|£11,625,647|£11,788,821|
|||===========|=========|===========|===========|
- All funds in both years are unrestricted.
- All transactions are derived from continuing activities.
- All recognised gains and losses are included in the Statement of Financial Activities.
13
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31 AUGUST 2025**
|||||**2025**||**2024**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Notes**|£|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**FIXED ASSETS**|||||||
|Investments||9||1,437,936||1,403,250|
|Tangible fixed assets||10||3,855||7,710|
|||||---------------------||---------------------|
|||||1,441,791||1,410,960|
|**CURRENT ASSETS**|||||||
|Cash at bank and in hand|||10,340,163||10,658,041||
||||--------------------||--------------------||
||||10,340,163||10,658,041||
|**CREDITORS: due within**|||||||
|**one year**||13|(124,337)||(260,222)||
||||---------------------||---------------------||
|**NET CURRENT ASSETS**||||10,215,826||10,397,819|
|||||---------------------||---------------------|
|**TOTAL**
**ASSETS**|**LESS**|||11,657,617||11,808,779|
|**CURRENT LIABILITIES**|||||||
|**CREDITORS: due after one**|||||||
|**year**||14||(31,970)||(19,958)|
|||||---------------------||---------------------|
|**NET ASSETS**||||£11,625,647||£11,788,821|
|||||===========||===========|
|**FUNDS AND RESERVES**||15|||||
|General funds||||10,825,647||10,988,821|
|Endowment funds||||800,000||800,000|
|||||-----------------------||-----------------------|
|||||£11,625,647||£11,788,821|
|||||===========||===========|
Approved by the Trustees on and signed on their behalf by: …………………………………. Jonathan Dean
**Rev Dr Jonathan Dean Chair of Trustees** 29[th] June 2026
…………………………………..
**Mr Julian Christopher Trustee** 29[th] June 2026
14
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **CASH FLOW STATEMENT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**|
|---|---|---|
|**_________________________________________________________________________________________________**|||
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|**CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES**:|||
|Net cash used in operating activities (see below)|(847,720)|(937,747)|
||------------------|------------------|
|**CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:**|||
|Dividends, interest and rent from investments|520,946|429,056|
|Purchases of investments|(1,050,899)|(568,983)|
|Proceeds from sale of investments|111|11,688,998|
||------------------|------------------|
|**NET CASH PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES**|(529,842)|11,549,071|
||------------------|------------------|
|**CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES**|-|-|
||------------------|------------------|
|Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year|(317,878)|10,611,324|
|**CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS**|||
|At the beginning of the year|10,658,041|46,717|
||---------------------|-----------------|
|At the end of the year|**£10,340,163**|**£10,658,041**|
||==========|========|
|**RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO NET CASH**|||
|**INFLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES**|||
|Net (expenditure) for the reporting period (as per the statement of financial|||
|activities)|(163,174)|(193,964)|
|(Gains)/losses on investments|(43,582)|(192,595)|
|Depreciation|3,855|3,855|
|Dividends, interest, and rents from investments|(520,946)|(429,056)|
|Decrease in debtors|-|126|
|(Decrease)/increase in creditors|(123,873)|(126,113)|
||---------------------|--------------------|
|Net cash used in operating activities|£(847,720)|£(937,747)|
||==========|==========|
15
**SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Statement of compliance**
The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention as modified to include the revaluation of investments. The format of the financial statements has been presented to comply with the Charities Act 2011, and The Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities (SORP 2015) (Second Edition, effective 1 January 2019).
The Charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS102.
## **Basis of Accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared under the Charities Act 2011 on the historical cost convention [as modified by the valuation of investments], which is consistent with the prior year.
## **Going concern**
The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties which would cast doubt on the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. In particular sufficient funds exist to allow the charity to meet its commitments.
## **Significant judgments and sources estimation uncertainty**
In the view of the trustees in applying the accounting policies adopted, no other judgements were required that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements nor do any estimates or assumptions made carry a significant risk of material adjustment in the next financial year.
## **Income**
All income is included in the SOFA once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably. The following specific policies apply to categories of income:
Donations & Grants where related to performance and specific deliverables are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance. Where income is received in advance of its recognition it is deferred and included in creditors. Where entitlement occurs before income being received the income is accrued.
Investment income is credited to income when it is receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due.
## **Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised as soon as the related liability is incurred and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs relating to that category. Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the Charity to the expenditure.
Employment benefits, including holiday pay, are recognised in the period in which they are earned. Termination benefits are recognised in the period in which the decision is made and communicated to the relevant employee(s).
Expenditure on raising funds comprises investment manager’s fees. Expenditure on charitable activities comprises expenditure directly related to charity’s objects.
Overhead and support costs relating to the charitable activities have been apportioned based on staff time. The allocation of overhead and support costs is analysed in note 13. Governance costs comprise direct cost for the statutory and governance expenditure of the charity and have also been allocated to charitable activities.
## **Pensions**
The charity’s liability is limited to the annual contributions payable. All contributions are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which they accrue.
16
**SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)**
## **Investments**
Investments are initially recognised at their transaction cost and subsequently valued at fair value at the Balance Sheet date, unless fair value cannot be measured reliably in which case it is measured at cost less impairment. Investment gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, are combined and shown in the heading ‘Net gains/(losses) on investments’ in the Statement of Financial Activities.
## **Fixed assets**
Expenditure on fixed assets is capitalised where the cost (or the value if donated) is in excess of £500; otherwise it is written off through the Statement of Financial Activities.
Tangible fixed assets are depreciated at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value of each asset evenly over its expected life, as follows:-
Fixtures and fittings to be written off over seven years.
## **Financial instruments**
Basic financial instruments transactions that result in the recognition of financial assets and liabilities like trade and other accounts receivable and payable are accounted for on the following basis:
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents includes cash in hand, deposits held at banks, other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts, when applicable, are shown within current liabilities.
## **Debtors and creditors**
Debtors and creditors are measured at the transaction price less any provision for impairment. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised as expenditure.
## **Funds**
General funds comprise the accumulated surplus or deficit from the Statement of Financial Activities which is not restricted nor designated funds. They are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Designated funds comprise funds that have been set aside at the discretion of the Trustees for specific purposes. The purpose and use of the designated unrestricted funds are set out in the notes to the accounts.
Restricted income funds comprise unexpended balances of donations and grants held in trust to be applied for specific purposes.
Endowment funds comprise trust funds which are subject to specific trusts declared by the donors or with their authority. The income arising from the investments is applied only in accordance with the conditions imposed by the donors (where specified) or for the general purposes of the Charity. The Trustees have power of discretion to convert the expendable endowment fund into income. It is however their policy to retain the capital of this fund to generate income. Income arising on this fund can be used in accordance with the objects of the Trust and is included in unrestricted income.
17
**SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
|**2.**|**INVESTMENT INCOME**|**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|**£**|
||Rental income from Mount Clare|-|321,735|
||Interest on cash deposits|488,402|70,846|
||Dividends on investments|32,544|36,475|
|||------------------|------------------|
|||£520,946|£429,056|
|||=========|=========|
|**3.**|**RAISING FUNDS**|**2025**|**2024**|
|||**£**|**£**|
||Investment management fees|£47,929|£15,000|
|||=======|=======|
|**4.**|**EXPENDITURE ANALYSIS**|**2025**|**2024**|
|||**£**|**£**|
||Support of assistant chaplain/chaplaincy projects|-|(24,000)|
||Support of music provision/student awards|1,050|150|
||Scholarships and bursaries|25,500|(7,850)|
||Archive development|18,409|17,103|
||Head of College and Chaplain’s Funds|3,110|8,549|
||Southlands Venture|500|(54)|
||Southlands Fund|(1,491)|1,721|
||Picken Fund|2,148|-|
||SWF research centre|163,558|146,811|
||Small grants|250|2,052|
||MAST grant|71|803|
||Southlands College Assistant Head of College|34,594|-|
||Methodism’s University College|306|20,574|
||Conferences and events|1,137|5,386|
||IAMSCU|4,298|5,989|
||MethEd Net|-|731|
||Ecumenical work|-|169|
||Ghana LGBT+|46,500|-|
||Online Communion|45,000|-|
||Mount Clare Development planning|-|336,452|
||Mount Clare Temple restoration|-|20,153|
||Raising funds|47,929|15,000|
||Support costs|335,196|272,812|
|||------------------|------------------|
|||£728,065|£822,551|
|||=========|=========|
## **5. TRUSTEES**
No trustees received remuneration for their services during the year (2024: £nil).
Reimbursed travel expenses of £5,399 were paid to 3 trustees during the year (2024: travel expenses of £3,695 were paid to 5 trustees).
**SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
18
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
## **6. ANALYSIS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE - 2025**
||||**Support and**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Direct**||**governance**||
||**costs**|**Grants**|**costs**|**Total**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Raising funds|47,929|-|-|47,929|
|Charitable activities|54,752|290,188|207,553|552,493|
|Support costs|-|-|127,643|127,643|
||-------------------|----------------|-------------------|---------------------|
||£102,681|£290,188|£335,196|£728,065|
||=========|========|=========|========|
Grants totalling £78k were paid to Roehampton University to support students. Other grants are paid to institutions in line with the charity’s objects. Support costs have been allocated to direct costs.
## **ANALYSIS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE - 2024**
||**Direct costs**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**(including staff**|**Grants**|**Support and**|**Total**|
||**costs)**||**governance**||
||||**costs**||
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Raising funds|15,000|-|-|15,000|
|Charitable activities|443,489|91,250|166,285|701,024|
|Support costs|-|-|106,527|106,527|
||-------------------|----------------|-------------------|---------------------|
||£458,489|£91,250|£272,812|£822,551|
||=========|========|=========|========|
|**SUPPORT COSTS BREAKDOWN**|||||
||||**2025**|**2024**|
||||**£**|**£**|
|Salaries|||285,627|222,578|
|Professional fees|||-|23,621|
|Governance|||22,249|17,595|
|Other costs|||27,320|9,018|
||||------------------|------------------|
||||£335,196|£272,812|
||||=========|=========|
**SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
19
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
|**7.**|**STAFF COSTS**|**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|**£**|
||Salaries|249,488|193,785|
||Employers NI|19,503|16,080|
||Pension costs|16,636|12,713|
|||------------------|------------------|
|||£285,627|£222,578|
|||=========|=========|
The number of employees during the year was 6 (4.4 full time equivalent employees) (2024 – 6, 4.9) with all employee time involved in charitable activities or providing support services to charitable activities. One employee had emoluments between £70,000 - £80,000 (2024 - none). One employee had emoluments between £90,000 - £100,000 (2024 - none). The charity’s key management personnel consist of the Research Director and the Chief Executive. Payments to them amounted to £184,797 (2024 - £116,212). The pension scheme is a defined contribution scheme and has no other commitments or obligations beyond the contributions paid.
## **8.**
## **9.**
|**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**|**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|
|This is stated after charging:|||
|Auditor’s remuneration|£15,000|£10,000|
||=======|=======|
|**OTHER INVESTMENTS**|**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|At 1 September 2024|1,403,250|1,630,670|
|Investment additions|774,068|568,983|
|Investment disposals|(782,963)|(938,998)|
|Investment gains/(losses)|43,581|142,595|
||---------------------|---------------------|
|Market value at 31 August 2025|£1,437,936|£1,403,250|
||==========|==========|
|Epworth Climate Stewardship|119,871|121,687|
|Epworth General Equity|794,740|746,223|
|Epworth UK Equity|119,491|121,788|
|FP Foresight|95,931|98,414|
|L&G UK|-|27,657|
|L&G UK PF Inc.|53,983|-|
|Rathbone|13,588|28,261|
|Rathbone GBF|26,959|70,255|
|Royal London|-|21,107|
|Royal London ST Inc.|60,767|-|
|Royal Mint|27,446|14,071|
|Spark Change|45,745|41,175|
|Threadneedle UK|13,385|13,995|
|Vanguard UK|52,600|56,306|
|Vanguard US|13,430|42,311|
||---------------------|---------------------|
||£1,437,936|£1,403,250|
||==========|==========|
20
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
|**10.**|**TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**||**Fixtures and**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**fittings**|
||**Cost**||£|
||At 1 September 2024 and at 31 August 2025||26,985|
||||----------------|
||**Depreciation**|||
||At 1 September 2024||19,275|
||Charge in year||3,855|
||||---------------|
||||23,130|
||||---------------|
||**Net book value:**|||
||At 31 August 2025||£3,855|
||||=======|
||At 31 August 2024||£7,710|
||||=======|
|**12.**|**SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS –**|**2025**|**2024**|
||**INVESTMENT PROPERTY**|||
|||**£**|**£**|
||Brought forward||10,700,000|
||Transferred from fixed assets|-|-|
||Disposals|-|(10,700,000)|
|||--------------------|-----------------|
|||£-|£-|
|||==========|========|
||The Investment Property was sold in June 2024 for £10.75m.|||
|**13.**|**CREDITORS due within one year**|**2025**|**2024**|
|||**£**|**£**|
||Deferred income|1,000|-|
||Accrued expenses|10,720|26,980|
||Tax and social security|9,968|5,258|
||Pension payable|3,728|1,750|
||Other creditors|8,660|153,603|
||Grants payable|90,261|72,631|
|||-----------------|-----------------|
|||£124,337|£260,222|
|||========|========|
|**14.**|**CREDITORS due after one year**|**2025**|**2024**|
|||**£**|**£**|
||Grants payable|31,970|19,958|
|||========|========|
21
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
## **15. STATEMENT OF FUNDS – 2025**
||**Balance at**||||**Balance at**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**1 September**|||**Investment**|**31 August**|
||**2024**|**Income**|**Expenditure**|**Gains/(losses)**|**2025**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Endowment funds:||||||
|Southlands College Fund|873,628|-|-|27,133|900,761|
||----------------------|------------------|--------------------|-----------------------|----------------------|
|Total Endowment funds|873,628|-|-|27,133|900,761|
|General reserves|10,915,193|521,309|(728,065)|16,449|10,724,886|
||-----------------------|--------------------|--------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
||£11,788,821|£521,309|£(728,065)|£43,582|£11,625,647|
||===========|==========|==========|==========|===========|
## **16. STATEMENT OF FUNDS – 2024**
||||**Balance at**||||**Balance at**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**1 September**|||**Investment**|**31 August**|
||||**2023**|**Income**|**Expenditure**|**Gains/(losses)**|**2024**|
||||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Endowment funds:||||||||
|Fixed|assets|fund||||||
|(Southlands (College)|||803,376|-|-|70,252|873,628|
||||----------------------|------------------|--------------------|-----------------------|----------------------|
|Total Endowment funds|||803,376|-|-|70,252|873,628|
|General reserves|||11,179,409|435,992|(822,551)|122,343|10,915,193|
||||-----------------------|--------------------|--------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
||||£11,982,785|£435,992|£(822,551)|£192,595|£11,788,821|
||||===========|==========|==========|==========|===========|
Endowment funds represent the capital value of donations received from the Southlands College Trust governed by trust deed dated 5 October 2000. The trust fund is an expendable endowment where the capital can only be spent on the express permission of the Methodist Council.
|**ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS**|**Endowment**|**General**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**Funds**|**Funds**|**2025**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Fund balances at 31 August** **2025 are represented by:**||||
|Investments and fixed assets|-|541,030|541,030|
|Current assets|900,761|10,340,163|11,240,924|
|Current liabilities|-|(124,337)|(124,337)|
|Long-term liabilities|-|(31,970)|(31,970)|
||--------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|Net assets|£900,761|£9,924,886|£11,625,647|
||==========|===========|===========|
## **17. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS**
22
## **SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
|**ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS**|**Endowment**|**General**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**Funds**|**Funds**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Fund balances at 31 August 2024 are represented by:**||||
|Investments and fixed assets|873,628|537,333|1,410,961|
|Current assets|-|10,658,039|10,658,039|
|Current liabilities|-|(260,221)|(260,221)|
|Long-term liabilities||(19,957)|(19,957)|
||--------------------|-----------------------|----------------------|
|Net assets|£873,628|£10,915,194|£11,788,822|
||==========|===========|===========|
## **18. TAXATION**
The Southlands Methodist Trust is a registered charity and therefore is not liable to income tax or corporation tax on income or gains derived from its charitable activities, as they fall within the exemptions available to registered charities.
23
**SOUTHLANDS METHODIST TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025**
|**19.**
**STATEMENT**|**OF**|**FINANCIAL**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**ACTIVITIES - 2024**||||||
||||**Unrestricted**|**Endowment**|**Total funds**|
||||**funds**|**funds**|**2024**|
||||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Income and endowments from:**||||||
|Donations and legacies|||6,936|-|6,936|
|Charitable activities|||-|-|-|
|Investments|||429,056|-|429,056|
||||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|**Total income**|||435,992|-|435,992|
||||----------------|----------------|----------------|
|**Expenditure on:**||||||
|Raising funds|||15,000|-|15,000|
|Charitable activities|||807,551|-|807,551|
||||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|**Total expenditure**|||822,551|-|822,551|
||||------------------|----------------|------------------|
|**Net (expenditure) before**|**losses**|**on**||||
|**investments**|||(386,559)|-|(386,559)|
|Net (losses) on investments|||192,595|-|192,595|
||||------------------|----------------|------------------|
|**Net (expenditure)/**||||||
|**net movement in funds**|||(193,964)|-|(193,964)|
|**Reconciliation of funds:**||||||
|Balance brought forward at||||||
|1 September 2024|||11,182,785|800,000|11,982,785|
||||--------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|**BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD**||||||
|**AT 31 AUGUST 2024**|||£988,821|£800,000|£1,788,821|
||||===========|=========|===========|
TO BE TYPED ON CLIENT LETTERHEAD
HaysMac LLP 10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1AG
> Date: 30th June 2026
Dear Sirs
During the course of your audit of our financial statements for the period ended 31 August 2024, the following representations were made to you by management and trustees of the charity.
- 1 We have fulfilled our responsibilities as trustees under the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”) for preparing financial statements, in accordance with FRS102 and the Act, that give a true and fair view and for making accurate representations to you as auditors.
- 2 We confirm that all accounting records have been made available to you for the purpose of your audit, in accordance with your terms of engagement, and that all the transactions undertaken by the charity have been properly reflected and recorded in the accounting records. All other records and related information, including minutes of all management and trustees' meetings, have been made available to you. We have given you unrestricted access to persons within the charity in order to obtain audit evidence and have provided any additional information that you have requested for the purposes of your audit.
- 3 We confirm that the methods, significant assumptions and source data used by us in making accounting estimates and their related disclosures are appropriate to ensure compliance with the recognition, measurement and disclosure requirements of FRS102.
- 4 We confirm that all known actual or possible litigation and claims whose effects should be considered when preparing the financial statements have been disclosed to the auditor and accounted for and disclosed in accordance with FRS102 and the Act.
- 5 We confirm that we have informed you of the details of all correspondence with the charity’s regulators during the year and, in particular, the details of all Serious Incident Reports that we have made to the Charity Commission.
- 6 We confirm that there have been no events since the balance sheet date which require disclosing or which would materially affect the amounts in the accounts, other than those already disclosed or included in the accounts.
- 7 We confirm that we are aware of the definition of a related party set out in FRS102. We confirm that the related party forms have been completed by all trustees and made available to you as part of the audit.
- 8 We confirm that the related party relationships and transactions set out in the declarations provided to you are a complete list of such relationships and transactions and that we are not aware of any further related parties or transactions and the transactions have been accounted for and disclosed in accordance with FRS102 and the Act.
- 9 We confirm that the financial statements correctly disclose the Trustees’ remuneration and reimbursement of expenses, and are drawn up in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice _Accounting and Reporting by Charities_ .
- 10 We confirm that the charity has not contracted for any capital expenditure other than as disclosed in the financial statements.
- 11 We confirm that we are not aware of any possible or actual instance of non-compliance with those laws and regulations which provide a legal framework within which the charity conducts its business and which are central to the charity’s ability to conduct its business.
- 12 We acknowledge our responsibility for the design and implementation of controls to prevent and detect fraud. We confirm that we have provided you with the latest copy of our risk assessment. We confirm that we have considered the risk of fraud and disclosed to you any actual or suspected instances of fraud involving management or employees who have a significant role in internal control or that could have a material effect on the financial statements. We also confirm that we are not aware of any allegations of fraud by former employees, regulators or others.
- 13 We confirm that, having considered our expectations and intentions for the next twelve months and the availability of working capital, the charity is a going concern.
- 14 We confirm that in our opinion the effects of unadjusted misstatements as listed in the Audit Findings Report are immaterial, both individually and in aggregate, to the financial statements as a whole.
- 15 All grants, donations and other incoming resources, receipt of which is subject to specific terms or conditions, have been notified to you. There have been no breaches of terms and conditions in the application of such incoming resources.
- 16 We confirm that there is no audit information of which you as auditors are unaware, and that each Trustee has taken steps to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that you are aware of that information.
We confirm that the above representations are made on the basis of enquiries of management and staff with relevant knowledge and expertise (and, where appropriate, of supporting documentation) sufficient to satisfy ourselves that we can properly make these representations to you and that to the best of our knowledge and belief they accurately reflect the representations made to you by the trustees during the course of your audit.
Yours faithfully
Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees by:
## …………………………….. Jonathan Dean
……………………………..
Trustee