## Sutton Coldfield Methodist Church - ANNUAL REPORT TO CHARITY COMMISSION 2022 23 **1. Name:** Sutton Coldfield Methodist Church **Registration Number:** 1128900 **Principal Office:** South Parade, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B72 1QY ## **2. Trustees:** Pat Allen, Joan Burkwood (part), Les Burkwood, Peter Cashmore, Anne Cole (Secretary), Bob Dauncey, Keith Dennis, Philip Griffith, Enid Howles, Amanda Hume, Angela Lavender, Peter Le Brocq, Donna Miller, Yvette Morgan, Cynthia Reakes, Gwen Sadler, Rev. Alan Smithson (Chair), Grahame Tench, Gill Wallwork and Shuen Wong . ## **3. Structure, governance and management:** We are governed according to the "Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church". Within the Methodist Church we belong to the Sutton Park Circuit. Our governing body is the Church Council (i.e. the Trustees listed above) which meets three times a year, usually in March, June and November. Trustees are generally appointed ex officio from membership of various church groups, with provision for others from the church membership and the Church Stewards. There are committees to cover Finance and Property and Pastoral matters. The membership as at 1[st] November 2022 was 95. ## **4. Financial Review:** The Church is in a healthy financial situation, able to meet its commitment to the Circuit assessment and to maintain its premises in good condition while maintaining consistent levels of giving to charitable causes. We have general reserves equivalent to 6 months' running costs consistent with the connexional policy. ## **5. Public benefits:** The Church offers weekly opportunities for worship, and there are some house groups whose aim is spiritual development and growth. The church is outward looking and provides a number of facilities for the community at large for many age groups. These include:- - Thriving uniformed groups for Scouts, Cubs, Brownies and Beavers - Twice monthly Wednesday Club open to all - Weekly Friends on Friday club for people with memory problems and their families - Weekly coffee mornings for anyone to drop in Over many years there has been a gradual change in the use of the Centre with increasing use by non-church groups for room hire. The Centre is in use 7 days a week, 50 weeks of the year. There is a tremendous cross-section of people using the Centre and in a typical week there are as many as 1,300 people passing through the doors via a wide variety of external community groups. The groups for vulnerable adults include Gamblers Anonymous, MIND Friendship Club providing recreational activities for people with mental health problems, Support Groups for Parkinson's Disease, Memory Cafe, Drop-in for the Socially Isolated, Friends on Friday Memory Club, Singing for the Brain, Talking Newspapers and Sian Bain breathing exercise. There is a weekly coffee morning for anyone who’d like to drop in for company. The community groups include Cherished “Blossom” for teenage girls, an Art Group, Yoga, Modern Dance, Sutton Coldfield Choral Society, a Sewing group, Needlecraft, Lace-making, Bold writers, Folk dancing, Little Pals toddlers group, Pilates, Portrait painting, Aikido, Tai Chi, Badminton, Line Dancing, Ballet for children and for over 55s, Indoor Bowls, Sutton Coldfield Poetry Society, Antenatal yoga, Birchfield String Orchestra, Sutton Coldfield Photography Club, Sutton Arts Theatre, Smart 11+ Tuition, Stamp Fairs, Speech and Drama exams, National Trust lectures, Royal Sutton Coldfield Philatelic Society, Tumbletots, U3A classes in German, Philosophy, Dancing and Enjoy Opera and PKA Karate. In addition to this we also have local residents meetings and occasional other outside organisations using our rooms for meetings. E.g. Sutton Ramblers, Sutton Coldfield Stroke Club , Coeliac Society, Birmingham City Council for ballot box distribution. ## **6. Objectives:** Our objectives are in line with those of the Methodist Church which are:- _Worship_ The Church exists to increase awareness of God’s presence and to celebrate God’s love. _Learning & Caring_ The Church exists to help people to grow and learn as Christians, through mutual support and care. _Service_ The Church exists to be a good neighbour to people in need and to challenge injustice. _Evangelism_ The Church exists to make more followers of Jesus Christ. ## **7. Activities and Milestones :** The premises have been maintained in excellent condition and are an asset both for the church itself and the local community. In the past year we have replaced the heating system for a much more efficient one and hope to be able to meet the national issue of spiralling energy costs as a result. We gave £350 to Action for Children, £100 to Bible Society, £50 to World Mission, £538 to Mission in Britain, £382 to All We Can (previously Methodist Relief & Development Fund), £987 to Christian Aid and £540 to Methodist Homes. In all, the special collections raised £2,971 for outside causes and a further £3,900 was given from our church funds to other organisations and charities. The photo-voltaic panels which were installed on the roof of the Church Centre in 2013 generate just over 30,000 kWh/year. These continue to make a significant contribution to reducing our carbon footprint and helping to protect the environment as well as reducing our electricity bills. ## **8. Future Plans:** The Church plans:- - To continue to offer worship which is varied in style blending the traditional and the modern - To continue to offer groups for Prayer and Spiritual Growth - To encourage the development and growth of the various groups which make up our Church Family - To support financially, according to our means, charities both Methodist and more widely ## **9. Risk Assessment:** Risk Management is monitored via the regular trustees meetings. The main items of concern are maintenance of membership, safety and adequacy of the building used, balance of funding to maintain current activities, the ongoing commitment of volunteers in running the church and the community centre and ensuring the church operates within existing and potential regulation and legislation. CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Sutton Coldfiold Methodist Church Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2023 Birniingham Sutton Park Circuit Circuit no 504 Registered Charity - Charlty Ragistration number If not a registered charity Her Majes￿3 Revenue and Customs Gift Aid nUM￿r (The HMRC number is equprfalent to a registered charity number in tenns of evidenc8 of charitable status and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisation's charitable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered charilies are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242) 1128900 Mintster. Rev. Alan Smithson Church Stewards: Peter Le Bro Gill Waltrworf( Ann Cole Cynthia Reakes Treasurer. Grahame Tench Church R *d P 2015.￿& 1ofS Sutton Coldfield Methodist Church ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 Church Tolals last SECTION A Fut Funds a1 RECEIPTS a2 Offerings and Tax reojvered Bank and CFB interest aThJ Investment income 57.559 61,651 a3 1.634 832 a4 Lettin 88.227 78.785 13.435 151703 a5 other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 18.015 168.710 18,015 170,344 a6 la7) SECTION b1 PAYMENTS b2 Circuit Assessment or Share 55.584 b3 Donations 3.800 Re airs and Maintenan Utilities {Insurances, water charges, heating & lighting) 58.3 39.975 b5 22.516 21516 16.9)S b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 17,082 166,160 11.040 11.040 28.122 177,2110 26.193 142,457 b8 {b9) SECTION C RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 a6-b8 12.246 Total funds brought foTh¥ard from last year 175,886 68.578 232.218 Sub totsl ¢1+c2 178.436 59.172 237.60B Transfers and ad"ustments c7 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR Ic3+c4) 178,436 59.172 237.608 1¢8} (¢61 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXtERNAL ORGANISATIONS lthe8e amounts are not to bg InGlud8d In tolal rncolptslpaymerrts figures ab￿1 d1 Balance brou ht fowdrd from last d2 Offerin sIGits- recelved for exlemal o nwtions 2.972 4,291 d3 OfferingslGifty - passed to extemal organisatwjns 2.972 4.291 BALANCE snLL TO BE PAID {d1+d2-d3) Chw¢h R•J P 201S 2of5 Sutton Coldfiekl Methodist Churth ¢￿1￿h SECTION E Connec￿ D*thc*l*nisaborts. 4TERNAL OROANL8ATION8 Ck 16 143 e7 Suty totsl ol Irrtem81 ani8ationgfuThY5 16 143 •12 Chur¢h *¢countsl bfoughtfonv•rd ffom p 2.toi•ls 1772 (¢7) 237*08 BY¢HURC 176.703 (4713 (x) 242,972 nu8 on a separ*S rfnecewryand brirytho l$forward TOTAL SECnOII F ATE CHUACH-CASH FUNDSIELDat 31 23 88h in hand B&￿4 CurrentAc4>wnt f4 C4ntr81 Bo¥d 125.lJJ 68.674 59.272 0thorfrJThYs SUB TOTAL.Chw¢haccixiNI• Toi•lfunds W by Irrtwnal (>u•nothlthe Llts*r4 from {e12} 237 5321 1812 TOTAL FU14DS H￿BYCHlIRctyI 242.972 SErn)N O 31 Al4￿12￿21 OTHERJJSEfsand Lk4BILmE8 Land & Buthji . •MOunt￿￿￿ 380 Othei tiabli f4 kn¢￿de On￿ FuThJ•ttdd •ttré C•rird I5(WRudP. 3d5 Name of Chur¢h .. Sutton Cfjkffi￿ PAgthodknt Chwch Declarations and Scrutiny I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2022have been prepared from the records of the Church and that they include all funds under the control of the Church trustees. Signatureof treasurer....................... Name and address of treasurer Grahame Ten(* 24 Frederick Road. Sutton Coldfidd. Post Code B73 5QW Pr•sentallon to the Church trustees I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2023 *EreAvill be" wesented to the meeting of the Church tnjstees held on ... . Signature of the Chair of the meeting Name of the Chair of the meeting Rev. Alan Smithson Date . Independent Examin•Vs Report to the Trustees of the Sutton Coldfield Methodist Church Charity Number 1128900 Responsibililies and ba$1$ of report l ￿port to the trustees on my examinats'on of the aCc￿UrrtS of the Sutton Coldfield Methodist Church for the year ended 31 August 2023 set out on page$ 2 to 3. As the Church's trustees. you a￿ resFrt)nsible for the preparation of the accounts in a¢¢ordance wilh the requirernents of the Charities Acl 2011 (Ihe Act,). I reFort in respect of my examination of the Churth's a¢¢ounts carried under section 145 of the Act and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Direcli￿$ given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5Xb) of the Act. . delele or circle as appropriate 2015 c•5 Name of Church .. Sutton Cobjfiekl Methc*Jist Church Independent Examlner's Slatement I have completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disdosed belo￿) which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act", or the accounts do not accord with the a¢￿UntIng records. I have no concems 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 te reached. I havelhave not" obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts. bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,iJ)O (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date. Signature of independent examiner Name of independent examiner A M Sanders Relevant professional qualtfication of independent examiner NIA Name of firm (where appropriate) Address 149 Tamworth Road Sutton Coldfield. Post Code B756DY Date delete or circle as appropriate 2015thur¢h R P.JJ8 5rf5 Name of Church .. Sutton Cobjfield Methodist Church Independent Examlnerfg Statement I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attents'on in connection wth the examination {other than that disclosed belo￿) which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act. or the accounts do not accord WFth the accounting records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. I havefftave not. obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,lJOO (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date. Signature of independent examiner Name of independent examiner A M Sanders Relevant professional qualificalion of independenl examiner NIA Name of firm (where appropriate) Address 149 Tamworth Road Sutton Coldfield. Post Code B756DY Date delete or cirde as appropriate 2015 clxjrdi R and P.xts 5rf5