2025-12-31-accounts - Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel

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Registered Charity Number: 1132720

Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel Annual Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31 December 2025

Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel Contents

	Page
Legal and administrative information	1
Trustees’ annual report	2 – 3
Independent examiner’s report	4
Receipts and payments account	5
Statement of assets and liabilities	6
Notes to the accounts	7

Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel Legal and administrative information For the year ended 31 December 2025

Other names the charity is known by:

OWRC Oughtibridge Chapel

Trustees

Matt Brook Richard Hall (Chair) Angela Howard (Secretary) Adrian Little Andrew Misiukanis Christopher Nicholson John Scarffe Peter Shapland Pam Smith Christopher Yeardley

Treasurer

Felicity Hall

Principal Address Charity Secretary 35 Coward Drive Oughtibridge SHEFFIELD S35 0JP

Accountants

Seven Hills Accountants 57 Burton Street Sheffield S6 2HH

Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel Trustees’ Annual Report For the year ended 31 December 2025

Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel (OWRC) is a family church serving the people of Oughtibridge and the surrounding areas. The chapel premises are located close to the centre of the village, about five miles north-west of Sheffield city centre.

Following agreement in 2021 to unite the congregation with Oughtibridge Parish Church (OPC) – registered charity number 1196843 – and OWRC, the members are fully integrated into a single ministry including all aspects of church life and activity. This change continues to be very successful and has reinvigorated the Church and charity activities.

Structure, governance and management

OWRC registered with the Charity Commission in November 2009 and is governed by the Wesleyan Reference Deed of October 1898. This Deed is governable by the Wesleyan Reform Union (WRU) and the Church continues to be a member of the WRU with the OWRC accountable to the Union.

The Charity Trustees remain active and responsible for ensuring the Wesleyan Reform Chapel building is used in accordance with the requirements of the ‘Reference Deed’ and stated charitable objectives. Throughout the year the Trustees communicated both in person and via email but, since uniting, formal business meetings are only required infrequently. An annual meeting is held to approve accounts and the annual report. Other meetings are ad hoc as required.

The building premises are held in trust by a group of people, known as the “Building Trustees” who are custodians of the building for the benefit of the church. Since 1st January 2022 the members of the “Building Trustees” have been identical to the Charity Trustees.

Under the governing Deed the OWRC are required to provide the finances to maintain the premises and have power to alter or rebuild. However, the WRU have a restrictive call option on any sale and will receive the capital. Therefore, the charity trustees consider that they do not own the property, but hold it in trust.

On 21st January 2022 a formal lease agreement was completed between OWRC and OPC such that OPC had full use of the building to fulfil charitable purposes held in common. The rent paid includes payment of all running costs associated with the premises.

Objectives

The principal object as disclosed on the Charity Commission website is:

The trustees for the time being shall at all times permit the said premises and the chapel school or other buildings from time to time standing thereon to be used and occupied and enjoyed as a place for the public worship of God and for the instruction of children and adults under the direction of the society or church assembling for worship thereon in connection with the said denomination or connexion according to the principles constitution usages polity and rules from time to time of the said denomination and also for the promotion of such other religious, educational or charitable purposes as the said society or church shall from time to time direct.

This remains the principal object and is unchanged by the uniting of the congregation with OPC. The building will continue to be used for the above purposes, by OPC and the united congregation, under the lease agreement with OWRC.

Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel Trustees’ Annual Report - continued For the year ended 31 December 2025

Activities during the financial year

OWRC follows the Wesleyan Reform doctrines of the Christian faith and share them with the public by:

Being a part of a church serving the people in the locality.
Joining in regular Sunday services.
Providing premises for and supporting groups giving instruction in the Christian faith to children, teenagers and adults.
Supporting organisations and individuals working for the advancement of the Christian faith.

This is achieved through the activities managed and operated by OPC, with OWRC supporting all ministry activities and providing the premises through the lease. Sunday Services take place united with OPC. During 2025 each week, at the Chapel premises, there were meetings of youth and children’s groups and adult prayer groups. Other fellowship groups and teaching Christian sessions took place monthly or occasionally. A Community Café serving and reaching out to the local community ran each Thursday at the Chapel premises.

The project to modernise the ‘Chapel worship area’ (aka Auditorium) was completed in March. The cost of this work was majority funded by grants but supplemented with some OWRC reserves. The room is now fully insulated, has new heating and lighting and new seating arrangements. It has become a welcoming room with greater flexibility for use with youth groups, child and youth ministry, Church events, Christian conferences and other large meetings. At the same time the Chapel character has been retained and is used for weddings and funerals. Thus the modernized room assists delivery of our principal objectives: the promotion of religious, educational or charitable purposes.

Future plans

The intention is for the Church to remain united in ministry and activity with OPC using the OWRC premises. But in order to ensure sustainability of the Church and secure the premises for religious teaching, ministry and Christian worship we plan to hold discussions with the Wesleyan Reform Union and if necessary agree changes to our governing deed. OWRC’s regular income is almost exclusively made up of the rent paid by OPC. Before the current lease expires in 2027 we will be working towards a new agreement to secure the future of the building and to maintain our charitable purposes.

Reserves Policy

The unrestricted cash reserves at 31 December 2025 were £37,680. The intention of the trustees to keep a minimum a reserves level of approximately £10,000 to provide cash flow and working capital to allow for repair work before insurance payouts are received.

The Trustees’ declare that they have approved the above report on

Signed on their behalf by:

Richard Hall Trustee

Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel (“the Charity”)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those 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.

Sarah Lightfoot, FCA DChA Seven Hills Accountants Limited 57 Burton Street Sheffield S6 2HH

Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel Receipts & payments account For the year ended 31 December 2025

Notes Receipts OPC rent and running costs reimbursement 4 Grant - Youth Investment Fund Grant - Oughtibridge Gala Donations Donations for defibrillators' upkeep Bank interest Total receipts Payments Circuit contributions Utilities and wi-fi Insurance and ground rent Electric Infrastructure Upgrade Chairs Auditorium Refurbishment Other repairs Printing, stationery and other administration costs Independent examination fee Gift to Langsett Trust Total payments Net receipts/(payments) for the year Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward	Unrestricted fund £ 7,028 - - - - 282 7,310 426 4,523 2,166 1,502 6,442 1,565 268 182 741 - 17,815 (10,505) 48,185 37,680	Restricted funds £ - 22,593 - - 32 13 22,638 - - - - - 37,106 - - - - 37,106 (14,468) 15,195 727	Total 2025 £ 7,028 22,593 - - 32 295 29,948 426 4,523 2,166 1,502 6,442 38,671 268 182 741 - 54,921 (24,973) 63,380 38,407	Total 2024 £ 6,484 72,961 536 40 26 918 80,965 444 4,836 2,252 1,500 - 61,738 - 163 - 30,000 100,933 (19,968) 83,348 63,380

Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel Statement of assets and liabilities As at 31 December 2025

Cash assets Current account Deposit account Total	2025 £ 10,910 27,497 38,407	2024 £ 51,178 12,202 63,380

Assets retained for the charity's own use

The charity owns the following assets: Furniture Kitchen equipment & crockery Office & meetings equipment Sound system Musical instruments and accessories Building maintenance equipment Chairs

As noted in the trustees' report the land and buildings used by the Charity are excluded from the accounts as they are owned by the Church Building Trustees and are subject to the WRU reference deed 1898 which contains a restrictive call option. The charity insures the Chapel building for £1.96m.

Liabilities Accountancy & independent examination fee Utilities - net balance due	Unrestricted fund £ 600 27 627	Restricted funds £ - - -	Total 2025 £ 600 27 627	Total 2024 £ 741 140 881

Approved by the Board of Trustees on

Signed on their behalf by:

Richard Hall Trustee

Oughtibridge Wesleyan Reform Chapel Notes to the accounts For the year ended 31 December 2025

1 Receipts & payments account

Receipts and payments accounts are statements that summarise the movement of cash into and out of the organisation during the financial year. In this context "cash" includes cash equivalents, for example, bank accounts where cash can be readily withdrawn to pay for debts as they become due.

2 Restricted funds

Funds brought forward Defibrillator fund 682 Chapel auditorim refurb - Benefact Trust 857 Chapel auditorim refurb - Youth Investment Fund 13,656 15,195	Receipts £ 45 - 22,593 22,638	Funds Payments carried forward £ £ - 727 (857) - (36,249) - (37,106) 727

3 Trustees' expenses, remuneration and benefits

Trustees received no expenses (other than reimbursed expenses directly related to charitable activities), remuneration or benefits during the year.

4 Related Party Transactions including transactions with Oughtibridge Parish Church (OPC)

One trustee and the spouses of two trustees were also trustees of OPC during the year. Various trustees held other voluntary positions of responsibility within OPC.

As detailed in the Trustees' report, OPC have the lease of the chapel building, and reimbursed running costs such as utilities etc. £7,028 was received from OPC during the year.

There were no other related party transactions during the year.