The Methodist Church Standard form of Accounts and Trustees Annual Report (Circuit Receipts and Payments) South Devon Methodist Circuit For the Year ended 31 August 2025 Ministers Revd. Kevin Hooke Mrs. Rachel Mitchell Circuit Stewards Mr. Robert Hamblin Mrs. Susan Morgan Treasurer Mrs. Rachel Mitchell Circuit number 37/10 Part of the Plymouth & Exeter Methodist District Charity Registration number 1132517
Charity number'.1132517 South Devon Methodist Circuit Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31st August 2025 Objertives and Artivities The calling of our churches and Circuit is to respond to the gospel of God's love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission. We understand that we are not engaging in our mission but participating in God's mission to all people, in partnership with others and empowered by the Holy Splrit. We do this through: Worship- In our worship we meet God as we intentlonally recognise His presence and celebrate HIS love for us and for all His creation. Learnlng and Carlng- As Christian communities we help and encourage one another to learn about jesus and to grow more like Him as we support and care for each other. Servi¢e- Our churthes are part of a network of organisations and people in the South Hams. We strive to be good nei8hbours to all, to help those in need and to challenge injustice. Evan8eli5m - As we celebrate the Good News of all that Jesus has done for us and live lives refletting His love, we hope that others will choose to join us in following Him. Wor5hlp and Learning This year we have continued to support the churche5 in the Circuit and those who worship with them. Alongside our "in person" services we have contlnued to provide home worship sheets for those unable to join us for worship. We hope that this will enable everyone to Still feel part of our church famlly. As well as our usual Sunday and Home Worship services, other opportunltles we now offer to help ourselves arÈd others encounter God include: Sacred Space- a monthly etumenlcal prayer tlme held in Chillington Church. This offers a quiet time for personal refreshment and space to grow spirltuality, followed by coffee. Hope Cove Chapel Is open for prayer- We open Hope Cove most days, for both local people and visitors, offering the opportunity to pause and find peace in our little chapel. Weekly fellowship time and coffee on Friday mornings at Kingsbridge. For Children and Famllles Bible based craft activities at the Ark (parent and toddler group) and pre- school worship services for our neighbours at the Tresillian Day Nursery. Café church, with a focus on activities for all ages is now a regular feature in our worship calendar at Chillington. Talze Style Wor5hlp- A time of prayerful song and meditation is offered quarterly at Hope Cove. Joinln8 with other churches in Kln8sbrldge to provide a number of special events through the year, including a weekend of biblical teaching and Good Friday walk of witness. A growing Knit and Natter group in Chillington and a craft and fellowship group in Kingsbridge. "Sea SundaV' outdoor servlce at Hope Cove, followed by a cream tea for residents and visitors was attended by over So people as well as the Kingsbridge Silver Band. Our Circuit prayer list, where we share names of those who have asked us to pray for them and also news of where we have seen God at work answering them, has been much appreciated. In addition, we offered reflections and teaching on the gospel of John from the beginning of July, using our own "Bible Month" resources as the basi5 of our worship over a six week period.
Charity number'.1132517 Caring for One Another We have continued to distribute pastoral letters by p05t and email monthly this year. These continue to be well received and our thanks go to our Lay Minister (Rachel Mitchelll, other ministers and Local Preachers for all the care, thought and prayer that has gone into preparing them. We also take every opportunity to Care for each other. However, with aging congregatlons and fewer people. the care we can offer is limited. So, we do what we can and are ready to be signposts to other sources of help when we are not able to offer all that is needed. As part of our caring for one another and those around us, we continue to support our volunteers and ask that they are suitably chetked and trained in Safeguarding. We recognise the importance of ensuring we are all aware of OLtr responsibilities to keep everyone safe (including our volunteers) and to ensure our volunteers know where to seek further advice, if the need arises. Other Activities that benefit our communities We do all we can to support our churches and encourage them to offer what they can to their communities. We have also continued to work with groups who regularly use our buildings, to enable them to continue their activities safely. These activities include: Opportunities to meet friends old and new at toffee mornings, craft groups, men's breakfasts, ladie5 lunches, and other regular events. Hope Cove community events that bring visitors and the resident communities together. Weekly table tennis groups. Toddler, parent and carer group at Kingsbridge. Offering our facilities at Kingsbridge, and being part of the team for an initiative called "Soul Food." This provides meals in the school holidays for families where one or more children would usually receive free school meals. The meals are provided on a take-away or eat-in basis. Providing space for other local groups and organisations to meet. This includes three choirs, Slimming World, Kingsbridge Arts society and Wl, line dan¢ing, yoga, and Kingsbridge Compassionate café. Supporting local charities including Kingsbridge Foodbank, Hope Cove private lifeboat and the Wordwi5e Christian bookshop as well as raising awareness of our Circuit charity and furbdralsing for them. Achievements and Performance We have regularly provided people to lead worship in all our churches and continued to be part of the district initiative which shares responsibility for Home Worship Sheets. We also contir¢ue to encourage the stewards in our churches to take responslbility for some acts of worship during the year, giving thanks for the way many people have been encouraged through them. Our thanks also go to our local preachers laccredited and in training) who have offered their time and skills so generously. In September 2024 we decided that we would make three local groups our charities for 2025. These groups, which are active within our immediate communities. are: Kingsbridge Compassionate Café The Coleridge Bus Devon Mind {particularly the "chlll the mind" cold-water swimming projectl Our fundraising started in Detember 2024, but due to storm Darragh, our first major fundralsing event was cancelled. Our circuit meeting then agreed that we would extend the period over which we would raise funds for these charities by a month. 50 realigning our fundraising year with the calendar year. Future year5 will also now follow the calendar year. A mixture of fundraising and donations by churches and the circuit have meant that, by 31 August 2025, we had sent a total of £4861 to support these projects. By the same date in 2024 we had sent £4068 to The Leprosy Mission ITLM was last year's charity). A further £1551 was raised after August 2024 for TLM.
Charity number'.1132517 We were very pleased to welcome Revd. Kevin Hooke as our new Superintendent from the I September 2024. Revd. Hooke is already Superintendent of the Teignbridge Circuit. and will split his time between Teignbridge, our circuit, and the South West Peninsula District (where he 15 a Deputy Chairl. Our Superintendent has been supported throlsghout the year by our resident Lay Minister and our Clrcuit Administrator. They have continued to cover many of the varied management tasks across the circuit, as well as their general administration and ministerial roles. Whilst this has freed up time for the members of our churches to care for one another and those aroLtnd them, we recognise that asking our paid staff to be responsible for the circuit in this way does not Slt well within our Methodist structures or ethos. Also, we know that this is not sustainable in the longer term. Under Kevin's guidance we have therefore moved forward in our plans to explore a merger wlth the Telgnbridge Circuit. This has led us to formally approach the Teignbridge Circuit, to see if a merger might be of value to both these circuits, and what this might look like. Our special thanks go to everyone who has continued to give time, prayer, and flnancial support to the circuit and the churches it represents, especially those who have continued whilst also battling thelr own health issues. Financlal Revlew The accounts of the Circuit are prepared on a reteipts and payments basis. Receipts for the year totaled £87.48812024- £82,031). Thls Includes: Letting income of £55,00012024.. £50,780). This includes letting the Manse which would ordinarily be occupied by our Lay Minister. Under an agreement made in 2021 our minister now provides her own local accommodation and her salary has been adjusted to reflect this. Fundraising for the Circuit Charity of £266112024.. £1.8011. Payments for the year totaled £92,44612924: £81,427). The increase over and above the expected inflatlonary rise relate5 mainly to: Additional property maintenance cost5 of £4,334 £5,000 paid to Teignbridge in recognition of the work of Revd. Kevin in our circuit. Previously the district provided superintendenry cover without any charge. Other ministerial and administrative staff costs as the changes to Natlonal Insurance (that came into effert from April 20251 were added to the annual uplift in pay-rate5 already agreed. Overall, this year there was a deficit of £495812024: surplus of £6041. This was better than expected as the orlglnal budget for 2025 showed a deficit of £11,000. The defitit has been taken from our reserves. At the end of the year, our total cash funds Iresetvesl amounted to £156.27912024: £161,237). Reserves The Reserves Policy indicates that the Circuit should hold the equivalent of at least six months expenditure 1£46KI. We also hold a Property Reserve for major work5 to buildings of £50K and a Redundancy Reserye of £IOK. In addition, we have Property Maintenance and other designated funds of approximately £IOK. This indicates we should maintain reserves of approximately £116K. At the year end, the Trustees were aware that our current unrestricted reseNes were in excess of the Resetves Policy by approximately £40K and are continuing to review how to best use the funds we hold, whilst continuing to operate within the aims of the Clrcuit.
Charity number'.1132517 Plans for the Future We continue to consider how we, as a Clrcult, can best celebrate God in our communities and respond to the needs we see, both locally and further afield. 8y making best use of the resources we have, we aim to enable our churches, and the people nnerted with them. to thrive and grow closer to God. Overall, we hope that we will continue to offer our distinctive "Methodi5V' Christianity in Chlllington, Kingsbridge and Hope Cove, recogni5ing that this may mean we need to collaborate wrth others. Slnce the year end our leadership team has been working closely with the team in theTei8nbridge Clrcult with a hope that our tsvo circuits will merge at the end of August 2026. The re501ution5 needed to make this happen need to be passed at church, circuit, distrirt and national levels. At the time olwriting these have been passed at church and clrcuit levels. We 3W#it the approval of the district synod in April and the national conference at the end of June. We moveforward in falth. Strurture, Governance and Management The Circuit is led by the Circuit Leadership Team which is made up of ministerlal and lay members, supported by our part-time AdministratOT. During 202415 the ministerial staff were.. The Revd. Kevln Hooke who Is also the Circuit Superintendent. Mrs. Rachel Mltchell, our lay minister, who has speclal dispensation to adminlsterthe sattament of Holy Communlon and Is the 'authorised person. for weddin85 at Kingsbridge and Hope Cove. Alongside the minlsterfal staff, the Circult Is rellant on church members who have voluntarilytaken on 518nificant roles within the leadership of the Circuit. Special thanks are expressed to Mr. Robert Hamblin and Mrs. Susan Morgan for thelr ongoSng Involvement as Clrcult Stewards and to Mrs. Elizabeth Paisley who represents Chillington within our leadership team. The Leadershlp Team is answerable to the Circuit Meeting. The members of the Circuit Meeting are the Ol¢erS and Trustees of the Circuit. In performing their duties, the Officers and Trustee5 keep in mSnd their responsibility to demonstrate 'public benefiv, as defined by the Charities Act 2011. New Trustees are appolnted from wlthln the membership and staff of the Clrcvit. In making each appolntment, care Is taken to ensure that any new Trustee have the skill$ and experience needed to fulftl the responslblllties of their role and safer recruitin8 procedures are followed. Please see the following section for details of our Trustees. Referen and Administratlon The n&me of the Charfty Charlty reglstratlon numbei Prlnclpal Olflce Superintendent Mln15ters Lay Mlnlster Clrcult Meetlng Secretary Clrcult Admlnlstrator Clrcult S•fe8uardlng ofllcer arcult Property Mina8er South Devon Methodist Circult 1132517 100 Fore Street, Kingsbridge, Devon Ta7 IAW Revd. Kevin Hooke Mrs. Rachel Mitchell lsee below) Mrs. Fiona Van Es (see below) Mr. Roy MltcheS1 Roles annotated * are now f ulfllled by our Clr¢ult Admlnlstrator, wlth help from our Lay Mlnister, the Clrcult Leadership Team and the safeguarding offl¢er of the Teigrsbrid8e Circuit.
Chartty number.1132517 Names of Trustee$: Mr. Robert Hamblin Revd. Kevin Hooke Mrs. Erica Jordan Mrs. Sandra Litchfleld Mrs. Rachel Mitchell Mr. Roy Mitchell Mr. David Monk Mr. David Morgan Mrs. Susan Morgan Mrs. Ellzabeth Paislev Mrs. lIv Sargeant Mrs. Barbara Welcomme Mr5. Greta Wills Treasurer- In 2021 Mrs. Rachel Mitchell, our Lay Minister, and an existing Trustee, temporarily took over the financial management of the Circuit in 2021. From September 2024 this has been recognised in Rachel's remuneratitsn. Due to her other roles, Rachel doe5 not consider it appropriate for her to be a signatory on the Circuit bank accounts. The Trustees have agreed this arrangement. Approval This report was approved by the Trustees on the date below and Is signed on their behalf by: Revd. Kevin Hooke Superintendent Minister Mr. Robert Hamblin Circuit Steward Date.. 1314126
Charity number 1132517 South Devon Methodlst Clrcuit Recelpts and Payments for the Year anded 31 August 2025 General ClfGuIt Model Funds Trust Fund lunrestrfctsdl lunre8¢rlcted} Rsstrlctsd Funds fotals this year Totals last yeor RECEIPTS Not• Assessments 23.LU) 23,000 22,COJ Capital re¢¢ipl8 Bank and CFB interest and Investment incorne 2.830 3,800 6,630 7.294 Ren181 Propety InMe other re¢dpts 55,000 197 55.000 50,780 2,661 2,856 1,957 TOTAL RECEIPTS 81,027 3,800 2.661 87,488 82,031 PAYMENTS Ministerial Staff Costs 47.328 47,328 District Assessment 7.647 7,647 6,372 Adrninistrats'on and Office costs 13.498 265 13,763 14,263 Worship and Disrypleship Grants and donations 1,727 1,727 7.429 1,667 2,730 2,038 2,661 10,736 Property CO81 14,277 14.277 9,943 Other payments 275 275 TOTAL PAYMENTS 87,482 2,303 2.681 92,446 81,427 NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR 16,4551 1.497 {4,9581 604 Totsl funds brought forward from last year 79,720 1,517 161.237 160,633 Sub total 73.265 83,014 156,279 161.237 Transfers and adlustment6 Ubre81ised gain (loss) on investmanls TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR 73,265 83,014 156,279 161,237 SFA RaIpt8 aThl Paym16 2022 Page 6
Charlty numbtrr 1132517 South Devon Methodist Circuit ststement of Assets and Llabllities as at 31 August 2025 Goneral Fund5 lunr8strlctsdl Clrcult Modèl Tru$t Fund lunr•stri¢tedl R8strletgd Funds Total thls To¢al last year SUMMARY OF CIRCUIT CASH ANO INVESThqENT FUNDS HELD Cash al Bank 11,845 11,645 13,260 Central Finance Board Cash balance 61,820 61,620 66.460 Trustees for Methodist Chur¢h Purposes - Cash balances Trustees for Methodist Church Purpx)ses - Investment funds 83,014 83.014 81,517 73,265 83,014 156,279 161,237 To181 Funds held by internal oiganisalions Total as at 31 August 2025 73,265 83.014 15£.279 161,237 Tolal as al 31 August 2024 79,720 81,517 181,237 1eo.633 The summary of Circuil Funds a$ 81 the end of 31 st August 2024 is as reported lo the Circuit Meeting. Included within ggneral fund$ are £11.327 designated funds12023.. £822n which havè bèen set aside for specific purposes. There were no Internal Organisabon Funds to report in 2023 or 2024. If there had been any Intemal Organisalion Fund$ these wotsld be restricted Fund8 unless il Uld be clearty shown that they could be used for any Melhodi$t purpose. OTHER ASSETS AND L181LITIES Note8 Land and Buildings 1,228,104 1,228,104 Loan to Circuit Church Other Liabilities HMRC payroll iaxes (paid qLbarterly} 2&3 Iq,4991 11,451) 1,226.805 1.226.653 Page 7
Charrty number 1132517 South Devon Methodlst Clrcult Notes to the Accounts for the Year ended 31 August 2025 rcuStModel Trust Fund lunrestrittedl Genetsl Funds A2Strkted Funds rota15thi5 vear Totals lastyear I OTHER RECEIPTS Church Contribution to phone costs Donation5 towards cost5 of HWS Refund re ciriuit property Charity Fundralslng (from thurche51 161 161 126 30 36 36 2,661 2,858 2,661 2,661 1.801 1,957 197 The charity fundrai5in8 and loan repayements are n¢L bytheir nature. income of the Clrcult. Z MINISTERIAL STAFF COSTS lary (incl housin8allowantÈl Employers Nl and Apprentlceship Minister5 Pension Superintendancy char8e5 Travel, Tralning & Retreat tosts HMRC creditor BIF HMRC creditor CIF 34,451 4,055 2,061 5.000 2,155 I,A74 11.8681 47.328 34.451 4.055 2,061 5,000 2,155 1,474 31.331 3,217 1,880 2,061 1,431 11,4741 38,446 47,328 3 AOMINISTRATION AND CIRCUIT OFF1CE COSTS Admlnlstration staff cests HMRC creditor BIF HMRC£redltor CIF offi utilities and phone Administratlon and 5tstionery Professional fees and Insurance AdvertSsin8 and website Other Sundry expenses 11,253 zs 11461 991 645 610 120 11.253 25 10.192 20 11461 991 645 875 120 1,038 692 1,987 120 239 14.263 265 13,498 265 13.763 4 GKANTS, DONATIONS & QTHER PAYMENTS District Levy ICMTFI Circuit Charity- Donatlon CSrcuit Charity- Church Fundrai51n8 Other Grants and DonJtions 2,038 2,038 Z,200 2.661 530 1,988 4,200 3.768 780 2,2 2,661 530 2.730 2,038 2.661 7,429 10,736 Our clrcuit charity fundrai5ingtotalled E2661 In thè yearto 31 August. In addltion we donated a fvrther £2200to our circuit Charitie5. These amount5 were paid out to the charities we supported beforetheyear end. The comparattve figures intlude the money ralsed and donated in both 2023 and in 2024. S RESTRICTED FUNDS Charity Fundraising Restrirtèd Funds at TMCP and CF8 SFA ReIpts and Payments 2022 Page 8
Charity number 1132517 South Devon Methodlst Circult Declarations Treasurer I conflrm that these Re¢elpt and Payment b)s¢d aecountsfor the year to 31 August 2025 have been prepared fr¢m the Yecords of the cIrclt and thot they Include all funds under thè wntrol of the Clrcult meetln8. Signature of treasurer.. Eh rtif4A4 Date.. 23rd September 2025 Name Mrs R A Mrtchell Address Kln8fishers, Mlll Court. Fro8more, Kingsbrldge. TQ7 2PB Presentation to the Clrcuit meeting I conflrm that the attounts for the year ended 31 Au8USt 2025 were presented to and approved by the Clrwlt Meetlng held on 23rd September 2025. Slgnature of the Ch•lr Of the meetln8'. Date.. 23 September 2026 Name of the Chair of the meetlng.. R•v'd Kevln Hooke Address.. 135 Churchf5elds Drlve. BoveyTr•w. Newton Abbot. TQ13 9QZ Independent Examlner's Report to the Trustees of the South Devon Circuit Th1$ report Is on the Clrcult ACContS for the year ended 315t Au8USt 2025 Respective respon8lbilities of Trustees and Examiner Th• Charlty's trustees •r• rtspOn$5e for the prepar•tlon of the accounts. The Charlty'$trusie•s conslder that audlt 15 not requlred for thls year under se¢tlon 144 of the Ch•ritles Act 2011 (the Charlties Aetl and that Indpendent exarn5natloTr is needed. It IÉ rny r•sponsibility. ag indoptndent examlner to.. •xamlne the ac¢ounts under $eetlon 145 of the Char5tle5 A to follow the procedures lald down In the 8enerl d1rectl0 8lvn by the Charlty Cornmlsslon (under Sectlon 145151 Ibl of the Charltles Artl and to stats whether partlcular rnattèrs have eome to my attentlon. SFA Receipts and Payments 2022 Page 9
Charity number 1132517 South Devon Methodist Circuit Circuit number 37110 (previously 24110) Independent Examlnevs Statement I havé completed my examination of th8 flnancial statements for the year endéd 31 st August 2025. 1 confirm that no material matters have comè to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below.) which give m8 cause to believe that in, any material respect.. Ihe accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act., or the accounts do not accord with 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 propor understanding of th8 accounts to be reached. I have nor obtsined independent verification of all investments wilh the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or héld in other trusts, bank balances and funds at th8 Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) 8t the balancè sheet date. Signatur8 of independent examin8r DJ&ttoi Name of independent examiner David John Cotton Rèlevant Pfofessional qualification of independent examiner.. FCA Address.. Morgans Accountants Ltd, Duke Court, Bridge Street, Kingsbridg8 TQ7 1 HX Date.. 0210612026 SFA Reclepts and Paymlnts 2022 Page 10