Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Hertford and Hitchin Area Meeting
Annual Report 2024
| Page: | |
|---|---|
| Structure and objectives of the Area Meeting | 2 |
| Public benefit statement | 2 |
| Governance | 3 |
| Properties | 4 |
| Activities | 5 |
| Membership | 5 |
| Achievement and performance | 6 |
| Sustainability | 9 |
| Financial Review | 10 |
| Key plans for the future | 12 |
1
Structure and objectives of the Area Meeting
-
The Area Meeting was registered with the Charity Commission on 29th September 2009 with Registered Charity Number 1131894.
-
The Area Meeting is part of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, of which Britain Yearly Meeting is the body which centrally manages the policy, property, employment and work of the Religious Society.
-
The Area Meeting contains six local meetings (LMs), which hold public meetings for Worship, five of which have day-to-day care of Meeting Houses and other property.
-
Officers of the Area Meeting
-
Area Meeting Clerk for Meeting for Worship for Business, and Assistant Area Meeting Clerk (these roles are rotated between Clerks and Members/Attenders of constituent local meetings, and is supported by a ‘continuity’ clerk (Kathy Hindle) to maintain the flow of information between constituent local meetings.
-
Area Meeting Treasurer David Hindle
-
Safeguarding Coordinator Clare Cooper
-
Clerk to the Trustees Clare Cooper
-
The objective of the Area Meeting is the furtherance of the general religious and charitable purposes of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain in the local community and beyond, through:
-
strengthening the life and witness of Quaker meetings in the local communities they serve, and sharing Quaker values and principles through outreach;
-
interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Religious Society;
-
undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad;
-
funding the concerns that the Area Meeting has adopted or agreed to support;
-
providing for the pastoral care of individual Members and Attenders including assistance to those in need, and for education;
-
maintaining and developing its Quaker meeting houses as places for public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world;
-
administering and maintaining the organisation of the Area Meeting and contributing to the support of Britain Yearly Meeting.
Public Benefit Statement
-
The principal public benefit of the Area Meeting is that in normal circumstances, at least weekly each of the five Meeting Houses in current use is open to the public for Meeting for Worship. The Meeting Houses are also made available as appropriate, sometimes at a subsidised charge, to local community and interest groups and charities which align with our Quaker values.
-
The Area Meeting and its constituent local meetings provide financial support to Quaker activities in the UK and abroad, mostly through contributions to national Quaker organisations. Support is also provided to a number of organisations and projects which are in broad agreement with Quaker principles, including peace, justice, and welfare.
2
Governance
1. Governing Document
The Area Meeting in session adopted a Governing Document on 13 October 2007 (Minute 81/07), amended on 9 November 2008 (Minute 81/08). As a result of meetings for worship being held online due to Covid, a further amendment was made to incorporate this change (Minute 22/23).
2. Meetings for Worship for Business
The Area Meeting conducted its affairs through six Meetings for Worship for Business during the year. These are based on silence, carrying the expectation that God’s guidance can be discerned if members are truly listening to each other. The unity that is sought depends on the willingness of all to seek the truth in each other’s utterances. No voting takes place as this would inhibit the process of seeking to know the will of God as expressed in the sense of the meeting. The Clerk has responsibility for preparing the business, conducting the meeting and drafting the minutes during the meeting. The decision about whether the minute represents the sense of the meeting is the responsibility of the meeting itself, not of the Clerk.
3. Trustees
The activities of the trustees are defined by the Governing Document, and by the Terms of Reference for trustees adopted by the Area Meeting business meeting on 9 June 2007. The minutes of trustees’ meetings and supporting documents, are available (currently passworded) on the internet. The trustees met six times during the year online. During 2024 four trustees served. The trustees provide advice and guidance to local meetings, or flag up matters of concern for discernment to Area Meeting for Business by minute. Trustees appoint representatives to all Area Meeting Business Meetings. New trustees are appointed by the Area Meeting following expressions of interest or nominations by local meetings.
The following Trustees served in 2024: Clare Cooper (Hertford Meeting) David Hindle (Eyeworth Meeting) Nick Needham (Stevenage Meeting) Phil Rowe (Hitchin Meeting)
Mary Brown of Letchworth Meeting was appointed as a Trustee on 18 January 2025.
Subsidiary committees made up of local meeting representatives provide information to the trustees:
-
Finance Committee, comprised of local meeting treasurers, assists the Area Meeting Treasurer in recommending financial policy and overseeing the financial affairs of the Area and local meetings.
-
Properties Committee meets regularly to discuss ongoing maintenance and repair concerns.
-
Camp Committee organises an annual residential camp on behalf of Grand Union Quaker Camps, a registered charity, for Members and Attenders of the Area Meeting and other interested friends.
Risk assessment
The trustees considered a number of areas of possible risk, as follows:
1. Health and Safety:
Local meetings are responsible for assessing the safety aspects of the use of the buildings in their care or which they use. The Trustees plan to incorporate oversight of this into Memoranda of Understanding which are currently being drafted.
3
2. Financial probity:
All local meetings are authorised to hold bank accounts. No local meeting has activities which constitute a major financial risk. There is a financial reporting system which includes independent examination of the Area Meeting and its constituent bodies’ annual accounts.
3. Investments policy:
The Area Meeting’s funds are all in established bank accounts and building societies which reflect our values regarding ethical investment. The placement of the funds is reviewed periodically.
4. Employment:
Three of the local meetings accommodate wardens. The Trustees have examined the employment practices in the local meetings with regard to legal requirements.
5. Safeguarding
Our safeguarding policy and practice was reviewed in September 2024 following the substantial amendment in 2022 based on the guidance from British Yearly Meeting working with the Christian safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight. It is the responsibility of all friends and attenders in local meetings to abide by the safeguarding policy for everyone who comes to our meeting houses or premises. Where needed, friends or attenders volunteering with children attended safeguarding training, paid for by the local meeting.
Properties
Friends Trusts Limited (173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ) is the custodian of properties for the Area Meeting.
The Area Meeting owns six meeting houses:
Letchworth Hertford Hitchin Stevenage Welwyn Garden City (WGC). Hoddesdon*
*The local meeting at Hoddesdon was laid down at the start of 2012. The Area Meeting continued to oversee the maintenance and redevelopment of the building as a community support hub, known as Peace Cottage. Regular Meetings for Worship have recommenced in 2025.
The properties are appropriately insured, and Area Meeting Properties Committee has oversight of any significant alterations to property which local meetings propose. Local meeting representatives submit annual reports to trustees on the condition of the meeting houses or other properties.
4
Activities
-
The main activity of the constituent local meetings is the holding of public meetings for worship using Quaker practice, and regular meetings for church affairs. The Area Meeting itself holds business meetings for church affairs and supports its constituent local meetings, including providing grants and practical support to develop the life of meetings, and of individual Quakers (members) and attenders.
-
Other activities include:
-
Fostering relations with Britain Yearly Meeting and other Quaker Area Meetings (such as through online forums and meetings), and with other denominations and faiths;
-
Promoting our Quaker way of life, values, beliefs and practices through outreach activities, or individually in our personal lives;
-
Witness through action, engaging in work to support peace initiatives and resettling and befriending of refugees, often in partnership with other organisations.
-
Funding Quaker and non-Quaker organisations whose objectives and activities are in accordance with core Quaker values, including peace, simplicity, truth, sustainability and equality.
Membership
At the end of 2024, for Tabular Statement purposes, there were 138 Members of the Area Meeting, 1 more than the previous year, and 105 attenders. The Area Meeting lost 2 Members by death, and 1 by transfer out. We also welcomed 4 new members by convincement.
Average attendances across local meetings were as follows:
Eyeworth Hertford Hitchin Letchworth Stevenage Welwyn |
2023 2024 3-5 2-5 10-15 12 10-15 12-16 10-15 10-15 3-5 2-6 4-10, 20-25 4-10, 20 |
|---|---|
Although most local meetings regularly receive new visitors and enquirers who have heard about Quakers and want to know more, membership numbers and attendance have declined overall over several years. This results in there being fewer people available to take on administrative roles within the local and area meetings due to age or other work/life commitments. Some of these functions are managed through shared responsibility, such as clerking teams, at local and area level.
5
Achievements and performance (in relation to our objectives)
Strengthening the life and witness of Quaker meetings in local communities;
Meetings for Worship were held every Sunday in five local meetings, and Eyeworth Meeting met twice monthly. Welwyn Garden City Meeting continued to hold two meetings for worship on Sunday mornings. Hitchin Meeting continued to make use of online ‘blended’ Meetings for Worship allowing the participation of those who were unable to attend in person, or who lived or moved further away.
Three local meetings had families attending regularly and planned activities for children. At Letchworth and Hitchin a Children’s Meeting was held monthly and followed by a shared lunch. Children either stayed in the silent meeting for worship, for all or part of the time, or went out with a parent and volunteer from the meeting for age-appropriate Quaker/play activities. This included garden play where they were supported to care for nature and the environment. A monthly Toddler Café was held at Welwyn Garden City Meeting House on Saturday mornings. Initiated by parents attending the Sunday Quaker meeting, this proved popular in the local community, with up to 30 families attending regularly by the end of the year. As volunteers to organise a children’s meeting during the Sunday Meeting for Worship could not be found, a youth worker was employed with specific responsibility for safeguarding.
Hertford Meeting welcomed the Mayor and several councillors at a meeting for worship in the spring, sharing refreshments afterwards.
Christmas was an opportunity to celebrate with all age meetings for worship, poetry and readings, with a Peace and Hope celebration at Welwyn, and to send cards to those friends seen less often due to vulnerabilities or commitments.
Interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Religious Society;
Meetings for Worship included ‘Afterthought’ sessions and regular readings from Advices and Queries, as a means of supporting reflective spiritual practice.
Local Meetings held regular events to allow Friends to get to know each other better and to provide opportunities for spiritual reflection, including shared lunches, ‘fellowship and cake’ discussions, book groups, and craft mornings. These events took place at Meeting House or in Friends’ homes. A series of discussions on Exploring Quakers was held at Hitchin for the benefit of newcomers and seasoned Friends and Attenders, and a set of ‘Food for Thought’ reflection sessions. The inspiring ideas of Emily Provance, who addressed the Yearly Gathering at Friends House, were used as a basis for considering how newcomers were welcomed at Hitchin Quakers.
A Hitchin Friend arranged a trip for members of the Area Meeting to visit the Jain Temple in Potters bar, creating an opportunity to learn about the principles and practice of Jainism and meet with some of their local representatives.
Support for a Welwyn Meeting monthly contemplative prayer group ‘Wild Prayers’ grew substantially and at times attracted up to 25 people. Held on the first Saturday of the month the group it was led by an invited guest to share a different devotional practice, through chanting, movement or art for example.
6
Hitchin and Hertford Meetings conducted research into historical Quaker links to slavery, following concerns raised by Britain Yearly Meeting into ways in which reparations for this practice can be made.
Clerks used email and digital messaging groups to share ideas, information or requests for support with friends and attenders in their meetings. In Welwyn Meeting, this is called ‘Inspirations’ and friends share short readings, photographs or artwork. Hitchin continued to produce their newsletter (Quakerview) although as it was a challenge to source a sufficient number of articles this reduced from monthly to quarterly production.
Online forums for role holders (trustees, safeguarding representatives, clerks, elders and pastoral carers, treasurers) run by Britain Yearly Meeting were a valuable source of learning and support to many individuals across local meetings as they were able to share issues and ideas with Quakers in other areas of the country. Many Friends and attenders from across the Area Meeting joined online workshops and courses run by the Woodbrooke Centre over the course of the year.
Welwyn Garden City Meeting supported one of its younger members to attend Senior Gathering, an annual event for young people to enrich their Quaker knowledge and experience. Taxis to meeting for worship were provided on occasion for elderly friends, and many Welwyn families attended Quaker Camp in Buckinghamshire.
Sharing Quaker values and principles through outreach;
Hertford and Hitchin Area Meeting continued to seek in various and imaginative ways to uphold the testimonies of Quakers of truth, simplicity, peace, sustainability and equality in their witness to the community. Hitchin Meeting held their annual witness event for the UN International Day of Peace, which included a peace blessing and walking meditation, and attracted many local people to their Peace Garden. They took part in a preaching exchange to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Welwyn Meeting invited speakers to a Peace event to talk on nonviolent communication, and held monthly ‘Artivism for Peace’ sessions.
Local Meetings took regular part in interfaith group events during the year. Hitchin took part in the North Herts Interfaith Group film festival, screening a Quaker film and providing a speaker. Welwyn Meeting also maintained strong links with their local interfaith group.
Friends from Hertford attended the World Day of Prayer service at Hertford Baptist Church and opened their Meeting House for the Good Friday Churches Together Walk of Witness. Hertford Friends invited other faith communities and the public to join them in a 15 minute Prayer for the Earth in the town centre, gathering in prayerful stillness for a Meeting for Worship, and afterwards with prayers and song. This took place every day during the year. Also in Hertford, a 30 minute silent vigil was held each Friday at the Meeting House for peace in the Middle East conflict.
Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City Meetings organised family-friendly open days for their local communities, involving activities and refreshments, to learn more about the history and activities of Quakers in the area. The Letchworth event celebrated the 400[th] birthday of George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement. The events were well attended by interested individuals and families, and supported by volunteer help from other local Quaker meetings. Hertford and Letchworth Meeting Houses are also of significant historical interest and were open to the public on the national Heritage Open Day in October. This event coincided with the Beds and Herts Historic Churches Bike and Hike event, and both meeting houses received a high number of visitors. Hertford also held regular open mornings during the summer, welcoming local visitors and others who were
7
interested in the history of the Grade 1 Meeting House, which provided an outreach opportunity to share information about Hertford Quakers and their values.
Hertford Meeting welcomed the visit of a local cub scout group to find out about Quaker history in Hertford during which the children made origami peace doves to hang on a peace tree. Hitchin Meeting House received 60 Year 6 school pupils for a talk on Quakerism. Artwork and posters were displayed on meeting house exteriors to demonstrate Quaker values and invite interest to passers-by.
The availability of meeting house premises to the community is regarded as a form of service, particularly when these are used by groups providing a social, health, faith or educational support function. Hiring rates were maintained at an affordable level for groups that may struggle financially. The hiring of these premises was a significant source of revenue for local meetings. Hirers across the Area Meeting included support groups for substance abuse and gambling, health and wellbeing activities, U3A interest groups, women’s support, art and music activities, carer support groups, education and activities for young children, and counselling. Premises were also hired to groups from other faiths, including Muslims and Buddhists.
Across the Area Meeting, local meetings supported the Herts Welcomes Refugees charity, through individual volunteering and financially. Welwyn Meeting continued to provide the hall and garden free for use by the local Ukrainian refugee support group which was much valued by the Ukrainian families and well supported by Friends from WGC meeting. Hitchin held an event in support of Herts Welcomes Refugees as part of the Hitchin Festival, which attracted 30 visitors and very positive feedback.
- Providing for the pastoral care of individual members and attenders including assistance to those in need, and for education;
Meetings around six times a year allowed Elders and Pastoral Carers in local meetings to consider ways to nurture spiritual wellbeing in their meetings, reaching out to Friends and Attenders with vulnerabilities and supporting newcomers. Elderly Friends and Attenders who had difficulty attending Meeting for Worship were supported through visits and phonecalls, and taxis arranged at times to bring them to the meeting.
Maintaining and developing its Quaker meeting houses as places for public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world;
Friends and Attenders at local meetings continued to work to maintain their premises in good condition and improve them for the communities they serve, carrying out annual premises checks, repairs, servicing of equipment. Meetings carried out annual ‘deep’ spring cleaning and other maintenance projects with the help of volunteer working parties. Hitchin Meeting continued to experience the challenge of managing technical difficulties with their lift, which was installed in order to increase accessibility.
Continued service from the HMP Community Payback scheme was used to maintain the burial ground at Hoddesdon Meeting House and internal decoration work was completed at Hitchin Meeting.
Welwyn Meeting maintained a grass labyrinth in front of the premises which was enjoyed particularly by children.
Plans for the use of Peace Cottage as a community hub progressed and an Area Meeting for Worship for Business was held during the summer. Development work was supported by a steering group of members from
8
Welwyn Garden City, Hertford, and Eyeworth Meetings, and a dedicated team of volunteers from the Hoddesdon area made improvements in clearing the garden and planted raised vegetable beds. Two open garden events drew in members of the local community as well as Quakers from other meetings.
Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad;
Financial support for Quaker organisations in 2024 amounted to about £17,700, for non-Quaker organisations about £7,200.
Individual meetings raised money through cake sales (Hitchin and Letchworth) for Quaker and non-Quaker organisations that provide support to those in need, in particular to Herts Welcomes Refugees, and made donations from their meeting’s resources, or individually. Meetings encouraged their Friends and Attenders to donate items to their local foodbanks, and posted lists of items that were in short supply. Some subscribed or made donations to peace organisations such as Campaign Against the Arms Trade and CND.
Some of our Meetings have sent funds to support the Quaker-run schools in Palestine and Lebanon. These schools have support programs for local families as well as providing education to local children.
A number of health and disability support groups hire our premises regularly and as part of our witness, our hire rates are set at an affordable or discounted rate to enable them to make use of our facilities.
Sustainability
Local meetings continued to seek ways to fulfil our commitment to the policy of sustainability at their meeting houses. We were mindful in limiting or reducing our energy consumption (such as using water-saving taps and lights in Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City) and bought energy from renewable sources. Local meetings continued to encourage wildlife through the maintenance of ponds and wild areas in their gardens.
Individually, Friends continued to discern ways to live more sustainably and support sustainability initiatives, also displaying information about this in their public spaces. Meetings researched fitting solar panels, increasing thermal insulation and reducing energy consumption. They bought environmentally-friendly cleaning products and where available used Fairtrade or home-made goods for refreshments.
Hertford Meeting regularly hosted the Climate Café and was a venue for a Hertford Town Council ‘Ecofest’ event, showing a public screening of a film on regenerative agriculture.
9
Financial review 2024
-
Bank: Triodos Bank, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AS
-
Examiner of Accounts: John Presland
3. Financial Governance
During 2024 the Area Meeting continued to pursue policies of good governance and furtherance of our charitable objectives in compliance with its governing document.
Fiscal oversight was achieved at all levels by the receipt and acceptance of the examined Area Meeting business accounts, and also the receipt of the Area Meeting amalgamated accounts for 2024, which include the examined account of the local meetings over which the Area Meeting has oversight. The proposed budget, financial timetable, and Area Meeting Quotas for 2025 were received and accepted.
4. Investment Policy
Our funds are mostly held by or invested in organisations with good ethical policies such as Triodos Bank, Ecology Building Society, Co-operative Bank. Some funds are held by Lloyds Bank and National Westminster Bank. Investments are regularly reviewed, and care is taken that no institution holds funds in excess of the limits of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
5. Reserves Policy
The criteria and levels of reserves for local meetings are currently under review. The reserves policy for Area Meeting central funds is based on holding money in various nominal funds at Area Meeting level. We have been in the process of running down some central Area Meeting funds as agreed by the Treasurer in consultation with Finance Committee. The target levels are as follows:
| Funds held for the following purposes | Amount £ | |
|---|---|---|
| Properties Emergency Fund | 15,000 | |
| General Purposes | 12,000 | |
| Designated funds: | ||
| Clerks Fund | 200 | |
| Peace Group | 400 | |
| Quaker Work | 1,000 | |
| Total | 28,600 |
The actual total value of the central funds at 31 December 2024 was £36,812.
For the operation of local meetings and Area Meeting Camp, it is expected that each of these should hold enough reserves to operate for 6 months and meet future building requirements. The target level of funds for 2024 were:
| Local Meeting | Amount £ |
|---|---|
| Guilden Morden | 100 |
| Hertford | 10,000 |
| Hitchin | 10,000 |
| Letchworth | 14,000 |
10
Stevenage 11,000 Welwyn Garden City 46,000 Camp Committee 5,000 Total 96,100
-
Income and Expenditure None of the Area Meeting’s funds were in deficit during 2024. At 31[st] December 2024, the Area Meeting had a total cash value of £379,706 (2023: £372,348).
-
Income: Following the significant insurance repayments in 2022, we received a further payment for lost income during the Covid shutdowns, but the major component of our income in 2024 was from lettings. Total income in 2024 was £187,481 (2023: £214,755).
Income in the previous year had been unusually increased by a grant and an insurance payment, so the fall in income in 2024 is not of concern.
Funds from Friends, including Gift Aid refunds, were £32,540 (2023: £37,060).
Income from letting our Meeting Houses etc was £135,153 (2023: £109,379),
2.5% below pre-pandemic income but somewhat recovered compared to 2023. Much of the letting business has now returned, but there are some previous hirers who no longer operate.
Grants or donations from outside bodies were £439 (2023: £16,000).
At the end of 2024, £4,559 remained held as restricted funds for the purpose of developing Peace Cottage; this includes some donations by individual Friends for this purpose.
Interest received on cash balances was £12,259 (2023: £10,701).
- Expenditure : Our largest expenditure remains the insurance, maintenance, and improvement of our properties, at £143,702 (2023: £124,705) in support of our role as a religious organisation at a local level. This includes planned expenditure at the Peace Cottage, Hoddesdon, of £24,778 to support, repair and improve the property, of which £15,987 was funded by external grants and donations. Some of the work at Peace Cottage was completed in late 2023 but paid for in 2024.
In 2024, £16,362 (2023: £24,252) was expended on grants and other support to outside bodies, of which about 72% went to Britain Yearly Meeting in furtherance of the centrally organised work of the Religious Society of Friends.
The amount spent on administration within the Area Meeting in 2024 was £19,154 (2023: £17,621).
11
Key plans for the future
-
To further develop outreach, particularly to engage the interest of families and younger attenders.
-
Peace Cottage Community Hub – to continue to build ties with the local community, attract greater use of the building by local groups, and progress with the improvements to the building, including obtaining a grant to instal sustainable heating. Resident Managers were appointed in March 2025.
-
Continue to find ways towards reducing our carbon footprint and make our buildings more sustainable.
-
To use our virtual communication to develop Quaker community and Quaker work.
-
To seek imaginative and creative ways to managing roles and functions within local and area meetings, encouraging wider participation and in the sharing of responsibilities.
-
To undertake maintenance and repairs to local meeting Houses.
-
To consider use of services outside the Society to take on management of some administrative tasks if needed.
-
Trustees to continue work on establishing more formal agreements (Memoranda of Understanding) as to the reciprocal responsibilities of the Area Meeting and its constituent bodies (local meetings).
12
----- Start of picture text -----
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Hertford and Hitchin Area Meeting of the|Charity No|
|FOR|ENGLAND|AND|WALES|Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)|(if any)|1131894|
|Annual accounts for the period|
|Period end|
|Period start date|01/01/2024|To|date|31/12/2024|
|®————————— ae|
|Section A Statement of financial activities|
|Restricted|
|Recommended categories by|Unrestricted|income|Endowment|Prior year|
|activity|funds|funds|funds|Total funds|funds|
|£|£|£|£|£|
|Incoming resources (Note 3)|F01|F02|F03|F04|F05|
|Income and endowments from:|
|Donations and legacies|S01|34,040|-|-|34,040|54,062|
|Charitable activities|S02|5,290|-|-|5,290|3,211|
|Other trading activities|S03|135,153|-|-|135,153|109,379|
|Investments|S04|12,259|-|12,259|10,701|
|Separate material item of income|S05|439|-|-|439|34,500|
|Other|S06|300|-|-|300|2,901|
|Total|S07|187,481|-|-|187,481|214,754|
|Resources expended (Note 6)|
|Expenditure on:|
|Raising funds|S08|-|-|-|-|-|
|Charitable activities|S09|36,627|-|-|36,627|24,252|
|Separate material item of expense|S10|-|-|-|-|-|
|Other|S11|127,712|15,990|-|143,702|142,326|
|Total|S12|164,339|15,990|-|180,329|166,578|
|Net income/(expenditure) before investment|
|gains/(losses)|S13|23,142|- 15,990|-|7,152|48,176|
|Net gains/(losses) on investments|S14|-|-|-|-|-|
|Net income/(expenditure)|S15|23,142|- 15,990|-|7,152|48,176|
|Extraordinary items|S16|-|-|-|-|-|
|Transfers between funds|S17|-|-|-|-|-|
|Other recognised|gains/(losses):|
|Gains and losses on revaluation of fixed assets for the charity’s own use|S18|-|-|-|-|-|
|Other gains/(losses)|S19|-|-|-|-|-|
|Net movement in funds|S20|23,142|- 15,990|-|7,152|48,176|
|Reconciliation of funds:|
|Total funds brought forward|S21|352,004|20,550|-|372,554|324,378|
|Total funds carried forward|S22|375,146|4,560|-|379,706|372,554|
----- End of picture text -----
Section B Balance sheet
| Fixed assets Intangible assets (Note 15) Tangible assets (Note 14) Heritage assets (Note 16) Investments (Note 17) Total fixed assets Current assets Stocks (Note 18) Debtors (Note 19) Investments (Note 17.4) Cash at bank and in hand (Note 24) Total current assets Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (Note 20) Net current assets/(liabilities) Total assets less current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due after one year (Note 20) Provisions for liabilities Total net assets or liabilities Funds of the Charity Endowment funds (Note 27) Restricted income funds (Note 27) Unrestricted funds Revaluation reserve Total funds Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Guidance Notes B01 B02 B03 B04 B05 B06 B07 B08 B09 B10 B11 B12 B13 B14 B15 B16 B17 B18 B19 B20 B21 |
Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds £ £ F01 F02 - - 80,000 - - - - - |
Endowment funds Total this year £ £ F03 F04 - - - 80,000 - - - - |
Total last year £ F05 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - 80,000 - - |
||||
| 80,000 - | - 80,000 | 80,000 | ||
| - - 13,858 - - - 336,904 4,559 |
- - - 13,858 - - - 341,463 |
|||
| - 13,765 - 374,134 |
||||
| 350,762 4,559 | - 355,321 | 387,899 | ||
| 15,551 | ||||
| 7,906 | - 7,906 | |||
| 342,856 4,559 | - 347,415 | 372,348 | ||
| 422,856 4,559 | -427,415 | 452,348 | ||
| - - |
||||
| - - - - |
- - - - |
|||
| 422,856 4,559 | - 427,415 |
452,348 | ||
| - - 4,559 375,148 - |
- 4,559 - 375,148 - |
|||
| - 20,518 352,035 - |
||||
| 375,148 4,559 | - 379,707 | 372,553 | ||
| Signature | David Hindle Print Name |
Date of approval dd/mm/yyyy 25/10/2025 |
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
2
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 3 Analysis of income
----- Start of picture text -----
Restricted
Unrestricted income Endowment
funds funds funds Total funds Prior year
Analysis £ £
Donations Donations and gifts 29,995 - - 29,995 34,015
and legacies: Gift Aid 2,545 - - 2,545 3,047
Legacies 1,500 - - 1,500 1,000
General grants provided by government/other
charities 439 - - 439 16,000
Membership subscriptions and sponsorships
which are in substance donations
- - - -
Donated goods, facilities and services - - - - -
Other - - - -
Total 34,479 - - 34,479 54,062
Charitable Area Meeting Camp
activities: 5,290 - - 5,290 2,137
Hitchin Meeting event - - - - 1,074
- - - - -
Other - - - - -
Total 5,290 - - 5,290 3,211
Other trading
activities: - - - -
Hirings and Lettings of Meeting Houses 135,153 - - 135,153 109,379
- - - - -
Other - - - - -
Total 135,153 - - 135,153 109,379
Income from Interest income 12,259 - - 12,259 10,701
investments: Dividend income - - - - -
Rental and leasing income - - - - -
Other - - - - -
Total 12,259 - - 12,259 10,701
Separate Insurance payment for loss of business (covid19)
material item - - - - 34,500
of income: - - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Total - - - - 34,500
Other: Conversion of endowment funds into income
- - - - -
Gain on disposal of a tangible fixed asset
held for charity's own use - - - - -
Gain on disposal of a programme related
investment - - - - -
Royalties from the exploitation of intellectual
property rights - - - - -
Other 300 - - 300 2,901
Total 300 - - 300 2,901
TOTAL INCOME 187,481 - - 187,481 214,754
Other information:
All income in the prior year was unrestricted except for:
(please provide description and amounts)
Where any endowment fund is converted into income in the
reporting period, please give the reason for the conversion.
Where any endowment fund is converted into income in the
prior period, please give the reason for the conversion.
Within the income items above the following items are
material: (please disclose the nature, amount and any prior
year amounts)
----- End of picture text -----
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
3
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 6 Analysis of expenditure
----- Start of picture text -----
This year Last year
Restricted
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Unrestricted income Endowment
Analysis funds income funds funds Total funds funds funds funds Total funds
Expenditure on raising funds: £ £
Incurred seeking donations - - - - - - - -
Incurred seeking legacies
- - - - - - - -
Incurred seeking grants
- - - - -
Operating membership schemes and
social lotteries
- - - - -
Staging fundraising events
- - - - -
Fudraising agents
- - - - -
Operating charity shops
- - - - -
Operating a trading company
undertaking non-charitable trading
activity - - - - -
Advertising, marketing, direct mail and
publicity - - - - - - - -
Start up costs incurred in generating
new source of future income
- - - - - - - -
Database development costs - - - - - - - -
Other trading activities - - - - -
Investment management costs: - - - - -
Portfolio management costs - - - - - - - -
Cost of obtaining investment advice
- - - - - - - -
Investment administration costs
- - - - - - - -
Intellectual property licencing costs
- - - - - - - -
Rent collection, property repairs and
maintenance charges - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
Total expenditure on raising funds - - - - - - - -
Expenditure on charitable activities:
Area Meeting Camp 4,346 - - 4,346 4,882 - - 4,882
Grant Making (see note 13) 16,362 - - 16,362 24,252 - - 24,252
Hitchin Peace Garden
- - - - 834 1,000 - 1,834
Education and Information 2,117 - - 2,117 - - - -
Total expenditure on charitable
activities 22,825 - - 22,825 29,968 1,000 - 30,968
Separate material item of expense
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
Total - - - - - - - -
Other
Area and Local Meeting Expenses 13,458 - - 13,458 12,739 - - 12,739
Premises Costs 126,712 16,990 - 143,702 118,724 4,147 - 122,871
Miscellaneous 345 - 345 - - - -
- - - - - - - -
Total other expenditure 140,515 16,990 - 157,505 131,463 4,147 - 135,610
TOTAL EXPENDITURE 163,340 16,990 - 180,330 161,431 5,147 - 166,578
----- End of picture text -----
Other information:
Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities
| Activity 2 Other Total Activity or programme Activity 1 |
Activities undertaken directly Grant funding of activities Support Costs Total this year Activities undertaken directly Grant funding of activities Support Costs Total last year £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This year Last year |
|---|---|
| - - - - - - - - |
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
4
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 11 Paid employees
Please complete this note if the charity has any employees.
11.1 Staff Costs
----- Start of picture text -----
This year Last year
£ £
Salaries and wages 16,666 15,854
Social security costs - -
Pension costs (defined contribution scheme) 918 712
Other employee benefits - -
Total staff costs 17,584 16,566
This year:
Please provide details of expenditure on staff working for the
charity whose contracts are with and are paid by a related party
Last year:
Please provide details of expenditure on staff working for the
charity whose contracts are with and are paid by a related party
Please give details of the number of employees whose total employee benefits (excluding employer
pension costs) fell within each band of £10,000 from £60,000 upwards. If there are no such transactions,
please enter 'true' in the box provided.
No employees received employee benefits (excluding employer
pension costs) for the reporting period of more than £60,000
Band Number of employees
This year Last year
£60,000 to £69,999 - -
£70,000 to £79,999 - -
£80,000 to £89,999 - -
£90,000 to £99,999 - -
£100,000 to £109,999 - -
This year Last year
£ £
Please provide the total amount paid to key management - -
personnel (includes trustees and senior management) for their
services to the charity. For specific amounts paid to trustees, see
Note 28.
This year Last year
11.2 Average head count in the year
Number Number
The parts of the charity in which the Fundraising - -
employees work Charitable Activities 2 2
Governance - -
Other - -
Total 2 2
----- End of picture text -----
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
5
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 13 Grantmaking
Please complete this note if the charity made any grants or donations which in aggregate form a material part of the charitable activities undertaken.
This year:
13.1 Analysis of grants paid (included in cost of charitable activities)
----- Start of picture text -----
Grants to
Analysis institutions Grants to individuals Support costs Total
£ £
Britain Yearly Meeting - - - -
Grants of £1000 and over - - - -
Miscellaneous grants of under $1000 - - - -
- - - -
Total - - - -
----- End of picture text -----
Please enter “Nil” if the charity does not identify and/or allocate support costs.
13.2 Grants made to institutions
| Yes No TOTAL GRANTS PAID Purpose Central Funding of Quaker activities Names of institution My charity has made grants to particular institutions that are material in the context of its grantmaking. Details of the institution supported, purpose of the grant and total paid to each institution is available on the charity's web site. Britain Yearly Meeting Miscellaneous grants of under £1000 Other unanalysed grants Total grants to institutions in reporting period |
Please provide details of charity's URL. Provide details below Total amount of grants paid £ 7,473 8,889 - - - - - - - - |
|---|---|
| 16,362 | |
| - 16,362 |
Last year:
13.3 Analysis of grants paid (included in cost of charitable activities)
| Analysis Britain Yearly Meeting Grants of £1000 and over Miscellaneous grants of under £1000 Total Please enter “Nil” if the charity d |
Grants to institutions Grants to individuals Support costs Total £ £ 17,532.00 - nil 17,532.00 - - nil - 6,720.00 - nil 6,720.00 - - - - |
|---|---|
| 24,252 - - 24,252 | |
| oes not identify and/or allocate support costs. |
13.4 Grants made to institutions
| Yes No TOTAL GRANTS PAID My charity has made grants to particular institutions that are material in the context of its grantmaking. Details of the institution supported, purpose of the grant and total paid to each institution is available on the charity's web site. Names of institution Purpose Britain Yearly Meeting Central Funding of Quaker activities Total grants to institutions in reporting period Other unanalysed grants |
Please provide details of charity's URL. Provide details below Total amount of grants paid £ 17,532 - - - - - - - - - |
|---|---|
| 17,532 | |
| - 17,532 |
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
6
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 14 Tangible fixed assets Please complete this note if the charity has any tangible fixed assets
14.1 Cost or valuation
| 14.1 Cost or valuation | ||
|---|---|---|
| At the beginning of the year Additions Revaluations Disposals Transfers At end of the year Basis* Rate At beginning of the year Disposals Depreciation Impairment Transfers At end of the year Net book value at the beginning of the year Net book value at the end of the year 14.4 Impairment 14.3 Net book value 14.2 Depreciation and impairments* |
Freehold land & buildings Other land & buildings £ £ 80,000 - - - - - - - - - |
Plant, machinery and motor vehicles Fixtures, fittings and equipment Total £ £ £ - - 80,000 - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| 80,000 - | - - 80,000 | |
| SL or RB (Straight Line or Reducing Balance) SL or RB - - - - - - - - - - |
SL or RB SL or RB SL or RB - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
|
| - - | - - - | |
| 80,000 - 80,000 - |
- - 80,000 - - 80,000 |
|
This year: Please provide a description of the events and circumstances that led to the recognition or reversal of an impairment loss.
| 14.5 Revaluation the name of independent valuer, if applicable the carrying amount that would have been recognised had the assets been carried under the cost model. the methods applied and significant assumptions the effective date of the revaluation Last year: Please provide a description of the events and circumstances that led to the recognition or reversal of an impairment loss. If an accounting policy of revaluation is adopted, please provide: 14.6 Other disclosures (iii) Details of the existence and carrying amounts of property, plant and equipment to which the charity has restricted title or that are pledged as security for liabilities. (i) Please state the amount of borrowing costs, if any, capitalised in the constru tangible fixed assets and the capitalisation rate used. (ii) Please provide the amount of contractual commitments for the acquisition o fixed assets. |
ction of f tangible |
This year Last year - - This year Last year £ £ - - - - |
|---|---|---|
- The "transfers" row is for movements between fixed asset categories.
** Please indicate the method of depreciation by deleting the method not applicable (SL = straight line; RB = reducing balance). Also please indicate the rate of depreciation: for straight line, what is the anticipated life of the asset (in years); for reducing balance, what is the percentage annual deduction.
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
7
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 19 Debtors and prepayments
Please complete this note if the charity has any debtors or prepayments.
19.1 Analysis of debtors
Trade debtors Prepayments and accrued income Other debtors
----- Start of picture text -----
This year Last year
£ £
- -
13,858 13,765
0 0
13,858 13,765
----- End of picture text -----
Total
Please complete 19.2 where a material debtor is recoverable more than a year after the reporting date.
19.2 Analysis of debtors recoverable in more than 1 year (included in debtors above)
| Prepayments and accrued income Other debtors Total Trade debtors |
This year Last year £ £ - - - - - - - - |
|---|---|
| - - |
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
8
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 20 Creditors and accruals
Please complete this note if the charity has any creditors or accruals.
20.1 Analysis of creditors
| This year Last year £ £ Accruals for grants payable - - Bank loans and overdrafts - - Trade creditors 7,906 35,669 Payments received on account for contracts or performance-related grants - - Accruals and deferred income - - Taxation and social security - - Other creditors - - Total 7,906 35,669 20.2 Deferred income Please explain the reasons why income is deferred. Movement in deferred income account Balance at the start of the reporting period Amounts added in current period Amounts released to income from previous periods Amounts falling due within one year Balance at the end of the reporting period Please complete this note if the charity has deferred income. This year |
This year Last year £ £ - - - - 7,906 35,669 - - - - - - - - Amounts falling due within one year |
This year Last year £ £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Amounts falling due after more than one year |
|---|---|---|
| 7,906 35,669 |
- - |
|
| This year Last year £ £ - - - - - - Last year |
||
| - - |
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
9
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 24 Cash at bank and in hand
| Note 24 Cash at bank and in hand | |
|---|---|
| Other Cash at bank and on hand Total Short term cash investments (less than 3 months maturity date) Short term deposits |
This year Last year £ £ - - 299,640 282,180 74,116 91,954 - - |
| 373,756 374,134 |
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
10
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 27 Charity funds
27.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period
Please give details of the movements of material individual funds in the reporting period together with a balancing figure for 'Other funds'. The 'Total funds' figure below should reconcile to 'Total funds' in the blanace sheet.
* Key: PE - permanent endowment funds; EE - expendible endowment funds; R - restricted income funds, including special trusts, of the charity; and U - unrestricted funds
----- Start of picture text -----
Fund Fund
balances balances
Type PE, EE Purpose and Restrictions brought Gains and carried
R or UR
forward Income Expenditure Transfers losses forward
Fund names £ £ £ £ £ £
Area Meeting General Fund UR General Purposes of Area Meeting 14,750 1,254 - 21,437 16,561 - 11,128
Area Meeting Quaker Work
Fund UR Supporting Quaker projects 1,000 360 - 800 440 - 1,000
Area Meeting Building Fund UR Emergency repair of our buildings 15,000 - - - - 15,000
Area Meeting Camp Fund UR Area Meeting Camp 5,462 5,787 - 4,346 - - 6,904
Area Meeting Clerks Fund UR small expenditures 200 - - - - 200
Area Meeting Peace Fund UR Peace education and publicity 400 - - - 400
Local Meetings General Funds UR General Purposes of Local Meetings 314,987 180,440 - 138,120 - 17,001 - 340,306
- - - - -
Hitchin Peace Garden R to be used fo Hitchin PeaceGarden - - - - - -
- - - - -
Places Called Home R Peace Cottage garden workshops etc 2,113 - - 223 - - 1,890
Peace Cottage Dementia Café R Peace Cottage Dementia Café facilities 2,664 - - 764 - 1,900
Peace Cottage General Fund R Peace Cottage general 773 - - - 773
Meeting Houses Fund R Peace Cottage building 15,000 - - 15,000 - -
Other funds N/a N/a - - - - - -
Total Funds 372,349 187,841 - 180,691 - - 379,500
----- End of picture text -----*
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
11
Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 27 Charity funds (cont)
27.2 Details of material funds held and movements during the PREVIOUS reporting period
Please give details of the movements of material individual funds in the reporting period together with a balancing figure for 'Other funds'. The 'Total funds' figure below should reconcile to 'Total funds' in the blanace sheet.
* Key: PE - permanent endowment funds; EE - expendible endowment funds; R - restricted income funds, including special trusts, of the charity; and U - unrestricted funds
----- Start of picture text -----
Fund Fund
balances balances
Type PE, EE Purpose and Restrictions brought Gains and carried
R or UR
forward Income Expenditure Transfers losses forward
Fund names £ £ £ £ £ £
Area Meeting General Fund UR General Purposes of Area Meeting 15,018 1,464 - 16,213 15,081 - 15,350
Area Meeting Quaker Work
Fund UR Supporting Quaker projects 1,000 - - - - 1,000
Area Meeting Building Fund UR Emergency repair of our buildings 15,000 - - - - 15,000
Area Meeting Camp Fund UR Area Meeting Camp 6,773 3,570 - 4,882 - - 5,462
Local Meetings General Funds UR General Purposes of Local Meetings 278,354 192,049 - 139,015 - 16,401 - 314,987
- - - - -
Hitchin Peace Garden R to be used fo Hitchin PeaceGarden - - - - - -
350th Anniversary Fund R to be used for Hertford Meeting House 705 - 705 - - -
- - - - -
Herts CC R Peace Cottage raised garden beds 105 - - 172 67 - -
Places Called Home R Peace Cottage garden workshops etc 4,180 - - 2,211 144 - 2,113
Peace Cottage Dementia Café R Peace Cottage Dementia Café facilities 2,664 - - - 2,664
Peace Cottage General Fund R Peace Cottage general 371 402 - - 773
Meeting Houses Fund R Peace Cottage building 15,000 - - 15,000
Peace Cottage Refurb R Peace Cottage refurbishment 1,270 - 2,379 1,109 -
Other funds N/a N/a - - - - - -
Total Funds 324,170 213,755 - 165,577 - - 372,349
----- End of picture text -----*
CC17a (Excel)
31/10/2025
12
Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees Hertford and Hltchln Area Meetlng of the Rellglous Soclety of Frlends (Quakers) On accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024 Charity no (if any) 1131894 Set out on page I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above harity (Ihe Trust.) for the year ended 31 December 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charitys trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Act). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have examinerfs ststement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives rne cause to believe that in. any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act: or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements conceming the fomi and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts arKI Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in Gonnection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: fk)(4 Date: ai Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any).. Address: Sk£ SrA HHQ Independent EY8miners Report P8gg1of1 to 31 Dec 2024