Downham Market Methodist Church - Trustees Annual Report —2022/2023 Registered Charity No —1129143
Principal Address Downham Market Methodist Church c/o 1 Camomile Close, Downham Market, Norfolk, PE38 9UJ.
Trustees: all members of the Church Council, the Governing Body of the Church, are trustees and are listed below (correct up to end August 2025) Paul Critchley, Shirley Williamson, Sylvia Cornwell, Beryl Boyce, Janet Roust, Mary Cumbers, Terence Foster, Margaret Harrison, Alison Durkin, Pat Mewhew, Joyce Dent, Heinz Hessler, Ralph Perkins, Alan Rix, John Roust and Maureen Hibling.
Minister Revd Paul Critchley
Charity Constitution: Previously excepted charities; - excepted charities were not required to register but are regulated by the Charity Commission. This is because they have been excepted from the requirement to register either by legislation or an order made by us. Churches and chapels of some Christian denominations; The Charities Act 2006 required excepted charities with an annual income of over £100,000 to register with us.
Charity trustee selection method: Charity trustees for Downham Market Methodist Church are appointed as per the rules of the Methodist Church. They are a mixture of stationed minister, Deacons, volunteer elected stewards and volunteer representatives elected from individual organisations within the Church.
Summary of the objectives of the charity: THE PURPOSES OF THE METHODIST CHURCH ARE AND SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN SINCE THE DATE OF UNION THE ADVANCEMENT OF(A) THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE METHODIST CHURCH.
(B) ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSE FOR THE TIME BEING OF ANY CONNEXIONAL, DISTRICT, CIRCUIT LOCAL OR OTHER ORGANISATION OF THE METHODIST CHURCH.
(C) ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSE FOR THE TIME BEING OF ANY SOCIETY OR INSTITUTION SUBSIDIARY OR ANCILLARY TO THE METHODIST CHURCH.
(D) ANY PURPOSE FOR THE TIME BEING OF ANY CHARITY BEING A CHARITY SUBSIDARY OR ANCILLARY TO THE METHODIST CHURCH.
Summary of the main activities for the public benefit;
What
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES —The main act of worship at Downham Market Methodist Church was the 10am service with attendance holding steady at around 55-60 people per week with seasonal fluctuations according to the weather. A midweek Holy Communion service continued to be offered once a month. We have a regular number of worshippers attending worship from one of our local Care Homes. Communion is also led at Ashville Care Home in Downham Market.
The church has an excellent relationship with one of the local schools and they visit us for their Harvest and Christmas Celebrations. Several year groups also hold a carol concert in the church for parents to attend.
Evening worship continued online using Zoom during the year and although numbers attending this service has declined, it is a worthwhile activity for those who cannot attend church in person.
Several families brought children for baptism, providing wonderful occasions to welcome people to the church. Funerals for church members and for others from within the community have been a regular occurrence.
Monthly benevolent collections are donated to other charities, such as Action for Children, Christian Aid and Macmillan Nurses. These are agreed annually by the trustees. There is the opportunity to donate in cash weekly, or to donate online. The church members also regularly support the local food bank and at Christmas support other local churches in providing hampers for families in need on Christmas Day.
In the coming year the church will be celebrating it’s 60[th] Anniversary with a number of events planned to celebrate the occasion.
Who
THE GENERAL PUBLIC —any member of the community may attend any service and can seek help and/or support from members of the charity.
How
The building is in daily use by community groups. Lettings are ably managed by the Church Administrator. She ensures that people using the facilities are well looked after and she helps promote these activities via social media and posters where appropriate. Community Choirs, Dance and Exercise Groups, and the Dementia Cafe make regular use of the premises. A local youth group, who encourage the young people to use music and drama, meet at the church and also occasionally share in worship. These Community lettings provide both valuable facilities for the public and essential revenue for the Church.
The rooms are also used by the church's own groups such as Messy Church (an initiative aimed at offering families the opportunity to learn about the Bible through crafts, stories and food) and the Ladies Friendship Circle, which provides a regular meeting with talks, outings and fellowship.
Members of the church have been generous in giving via BACS to support both the church's financial needs and charity support.
The Social Centre, based in the church buildings, supports the elderly in the community. It has provided a welcome to members of the public Monday to Friday between 9am and 1.30pm, with hot lunches served to the many who appreciate the food, friendship and companionship on offer. For those who can't get out, the Social Centre provided a 'meals on wheels' service,
delivering lunches, using volunteer drivers. This has provided a vital service to many isolated, elderly members of the community.
The Revd Paul Critchley has oversight of not only Downham Market Methodist Church but other smaller Methodist chapels in the surrounding villages of West Norfolk and has now taken on the role of Superintendent of the West Norfolk Methodist Circuit. He has supported the work of the Social Centre as well as visiting and supporting the work of local care homes and schools.
The church supports a number of house groups, where people meet for Bible study and fellowship. This gives members of the church the opportunity to speak of their faith and share in discussion. These house groups occasionally lead services in the church.
RISK
The trustees review the risks that the charity is exposed to on an ongoing basis and take steps to mitigate those risks as appropriate.
Reserves Policy Our Reserves Policy relates to our general (unrestricted) funds, which are freely available to be used for any or all of the purposes of the Church. Our Reserve Policy is to hold 50% of annual expenditure in hand; these reserve funds allow for fluctuations in receipts against set payments and act as contingency funds. The Church holds funds to continue the ongoing upgrades to its premises to maintain and improve the fabric of our buildings and to enhance the ability of our members, users of our services and visitors to make maximum use of the facilities.
ItKOME ExpErtUHE 7fA)4 Clr(u1tAthntTh1oT J69PA66 J3617P 1361 FY IN6J4Q 5524499 351.67 9gk.55 J4t4tt 116099.66 ]]1 Joii. 46911 IJM99 ItKOME ExPErllNE 1398S ¢% HAEwhys HIEnWe 2JILIQ 1697. 26IJS wMIsFd Ero&GIhlld 15 Fd.&GIQApJlvxes J.MA&GIftAbJ TQTXExf.OlGS 169F.7F TOTEXr.l1A 1697.7T W97A3 571921 46921 78 iJJg8 5719Jl 18571121 44025QJ . AWtht3bl 1015 mark Mthodtstchurch . Blr•SheI CAF Ban lank L920 ll J,620.67 20.>iJ n 69,924. 1295.48 45.72161 a7M3.89 CFedEpD5ItAOurt TmCPMllddT FL.2005 TMcPmTrUsFun&I0llGS 141.3515 94.137.>7 16,921.IB TtACPHiihlEnthTrt TmCPlett 11& TmCPH¥hhKEryLMTr TIKPin¥vM J1616 5.193.11 Downham MarkétMÈthDdhtChurc . ItlI Fund InternalFu mlre01dknLwP FwdforIhlthiD&F1yW CDttee£3365toGErt TfanwrtFur raTfv1dforhtpty F11chln& F4mAyWor* 117S. lJ941.J9 165B.65 TransFu 13912. I7.65 TOT I71?6 TOT
ME EXP NT INCLIME EXPENfATUHE ASt&26 144Z.55 D1n.ktAdrnin1straIQr 8577.64 8w5Dr• 1500D thr$twsTt4¢5 IGJ4.60 cl15Cbb 501.51 chTraFOthlp) 1611. 24.55 COWts19Co5ts 1466J.46 fknnlwCo5ts 210.L>J IIS97.Bl 7rfJ2 tsLILI¢¢ 761.69 LommuniunVne 61112 Etlty1loDtrttn E{} 6704.57 1217.16 75D Funet011elpdth FuneTaFee5lSte¥k&Df4thrt51 GirfnM•lrtn•rK¢iGr•sS<wttl 3.335J7 Gis 3.6Z&OI MrtWlstlrtSw•• 3.02& 2411 w1 z736t125 Vs¢lprtthlss 45 5561.97 26074 50 116.flj 155. 48 PD&tW.pnni5tstkry ¢prty5uWfviSOt Re1& HEnew415 CentreCuntnbioUblltlE5 £277.12 512J.23 179520 1SIY.97 276130D 341. 50 XSJ fyfiRer1•1ff¢0.¢frrth ¥YatttSen¢ttoK 925.64 1SZ9. 40149. 4SJ5 Jao. JWA) CVruitA55Ult1•xcFB) WJl.15 Le8aEw5. aw A¢ifftf¢rChihlf¢ft HiwTF¢slN41 rroAIW•Qnl ChnstrnasM4rf4et 231. 165.C 132. Mrth Fundt¢tFYwrny I.MA iknk45iAssMl#l+tsift L%YPT ZIJACQ j15Hp[urthP•41o J54Ctl MI551111MFU& J32 IP 154. i. 911.18 •lQl martchur(heSTWihEt WdIniENPE5f5 -911tTtyDl51n(tfjrI lnt•rittonAtuThts TMCPP2n5n ReliefFd Relyi 4316JZ TMCPAlo0lTftFrtI 2Q 12.•J rAFBk IntefE51 1021%) 29.01 TMCPLth¢Trtwltr4$1 IK 3655 70 zi&Jo TkKPMoO¢lTFO(h•ws ] TMCPMDdelTFOWmraw5 IozIAJ TOTAL (YWry cOmE 54.67 J3349.47 786171 IlvrPS.lIeSTI5 IWln•SW5.LE0Lts I79 7501. I17565 IIOM87
DOWNHAM MARKET ACCOUNTS FOR THE YER ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 Chur¢h vnrNtrkl R•itrlct•d FuThJ Fund SECTION A yJ•r a1 RECEIPTS Note Offeri s and Tax recovered Bank and CFB Inlere518nd Invs$tm¢ni Inc 42 327 42,327 45.146 a3 5.318 5.318 7.524 Letbn 26,075 7,215 80.934 26,075 7.215 80.934 27.360 22.460 102.490 a5 her receipts ISC 552451 TOT RECEIPTS SECTION b1 PAYMENTS Cir¢uilA¥sessm8ni orSh8r8 40,149 40,149 38.075 b3 DonatnS 1.$40 air5 and Maintenance Utilities Iln5urance5. water char es. healin 4,480 4.480 6.517 17,581 17.581 16.077 b7 Oltter payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 64.106 127,856 64,106 127,856 28.982 91,191 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR 86-b8 Total lunds brought f¥ard from 1351 year 141,359 141 359 ¢0 130.060 Sub total c1c2 Tr8nsfor$ and 8d u$lm8nl$ ¢7 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR IcJ+c41 94,437 94,437 141,359 Ic61 SECTION D FOR INFQRMATIQN ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL QRGANISATIONS thu• 0nI av• noito In¢luthd In t•tl Y•¢o1 r• d1 Balae bro hl toryr from L451 Off Grfts- r8cv8d forM81 or nisatith)8 2.898 d3 OffqringslGrfts - pa55ed lo exlemal or nisationts 2.698 ALAN¢E STILL TQ BE PAI Id1*d2-d31 2of5 DM.2415 v25EMth1RmrfAtsI02s
DOWNHAM MARKET Chwrh IECTWJNE Iw15ih tonmcw IP4TERlklL NRI IOELALCEIfflIE Frhr 45 ITO 73TA 37 EYCHURCH 141m7 TP)TALHefaPT¥ TOT* PAYIIEklT8 SEcThF QPEMNG 0•L•IICE5 CHURCH.¢A8HFUt1DSHELO $1 Cllshh ¢•nV•iFW¢•8w 57.SD4 09.925 auB TOTAL.GhhX(Qurt 81A37 29.574 15.863 TOTAL CASHFVNDSHELDBYCHURCH 170.933 110.300 SEcTG I S•mbw2D24 31 AUt20?5 3 123 282