**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2024** ||| |---|---| |**A. Reference and Administration Details**|| |CharityName|Wrexham Methodist Circuit| |Registered CharityNumber|1132841| |Principal Address|Wrexham Methodist Church, Regent Street, Wrexham. LL11 1RY| ||| |---|---| |**B. Structure, Governance and Management**|| |Type ofgoverningdocument|Deed of Union(1932)and Methodist Church Act(1976)| |How is the charityconstituted|Act of Parliament| |Trustee selection methods|Trustees are selected according to standing order 510 from ‘The
Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church’.| |Structure|Part of Wales Synod Cymru;accountable to the Methodist Conference| ||| |---|---| |**C. Objectives and Activities**|| |Summary of the objects of the
charity set out in its governing
document|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 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
subsidiary or ancillary to The Methodist Church.| |Summary of the main activities
undertaken for the public
benefit in relation to these
objects|The circuit produces a quarterly preaching plan to ensure regular acts of
worship take place at each of the 8 Methodist churches and chapels in
its geographical area. These acts of worship are open to all.
The circuit supports the Open the Book initiative and teams serve
several local schools around the circuit. The circuit also runs and
supports two successful after-school drop-ins in Llangollen and at the
‘Tin Can’ (the old Rhosnesni chapel), the latter being undertaken in
partnership with the Church Army. A parent and toddler group is run in
Wrexham. Some of our churches run successful Community Coffee
Mornings which are a much-valued meeting place for people from the
wider community. Most of our churches make their church halls
available to their local communities as a resource. Many churches collect
for the local foodbank. A variety of other charities are supported by the
efforts of individual churches. Also during the year volunteers from the
circuit have worked as prison chaplains, pastoral visitors, hospital
volunteers, volunteer drivers, and as helpers in the town’s Foodbank.
We confirm that the trustees have had regard to the Charity
Commission’sguidance onpublic benefit.| ## **D. Achievements and performance** |**D. Achievements andperformance**|**D. Achievements andperformance**| |---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity
during the year|The circuit exists to resource and support its churches in their mission to
the communities in which they are situated. Worship takes place in all
but one church weekly on a Sunday and one church has a worship
service once a month. Most of our services are in the morning, although
but one church has afternoon worship. The circuit is conscious that our
worship has tended for obvious reasons to be concentrated on a Sunday.
However there are an increasing number of members who are required
to work on a Sunday so the Circuit has been exploring options to hold
occasional services at other times with a view to making these a more
regular occurrence. There are also occasional Sunday evening services.
In addition we continue to offer online worship via Zoom each week.
Numbers attending the online worship have declined but it still provides
a valuable function to enable those who cannot access our buildings to
be part of a weekly worship service and fellowship.
Worship was conducted by the full time presbyter, five supernumerary
presbyters, nine fully accredited active local preachers and one preacher
in training. Additionally five worship leaders were available to support
preachers or lead non preaching services in their own church. We have
also been grateful for the support of several ministers and local
preachers who have come from other denominations or from other
circuits.
The Circuit appointed a new full-time presbyter, the Rev James Eaton-
Challinor, who will also act as Superintendent Minister. The staffing of
the Circuit for the year was the full-time presbyter, two supernumerary
presbyters working one day per week each under a letter of
understanding from the Circuit and with delegated authority under SO
502 1 (b) (ii) to chair church councils and other meetings associated with
the churches that they hold pastoral oversight of. A further
Supernumerary presbyter provided pastoral support at Overton with the
business of the managing trustees e.g. church councils being undertaken
by the Superintendent. In addition we have a just over half time youth
and children’s worker, two lay pastoral assistants who work one day
each and a part time administrator (4 hours per week). Also there is one
voluntary lay pastoral assistant. Having reduced its staffing considerably
(from two and a half full time ministers to one) over the past two years
the Circuit is going through a period of adjustment. The Managing
Trustees will continue to reflect on the right mix of staffing roles to
ensure the Circuit is able to successfully undertake its charitable aims,
subject to the financial constraints that the Circuit and its individual
churches face.
At the start of the Covid pandemic the Circuit ministers produced a
weekly newsletter including pastoral reflections. This was emailed or
posted to members across the Circuit and beyond. This kept members
informed of news and developments. The reduction in ministerial
staffingin the Circuit meant that at the end of theyear this was| discontinued. However the Circuit also recognised that not having an active website was a significant block to both efficient communication within the Circuit and the missional activities of the Circuit (a number of churches have their own websites). We worked with a company who have produced websites for a large number of Circuits across the Connexion and so have extensive experience of the particular needs of the Methodist Church. The new website was expected to be live in Autumn 2024. Occasional newsletters and pastoral letters continued to be sent out for, particularly relating to major Christian festivals. Ruabon and Rhosymedre Methodist Churches have been under the pastoral oversight of a Supernumerary Minister since September 2022. The two churches have been working more closely together during this time including regular joint services which alternate between the two buildings. A number of joint meetings of the churches have also been held during this time. During this year the two churches have resolved to become ‘one church on two sites’ i.e. a single set of managing trustees will become responsible for the governance of the church. From September 2024 the two will become known as ‘Wynnstay Methodist Church’ and it is envisaged the worship will be continued on both sites for the foreseeable future although this will be kept under review by the Wynnstay’s church council. Wrexham Methodist Church’s site in Regent Street, Wrexham, needs a considerable amount of work done to bring it up to a suitable standard for on-going mission and ministry. The Church Council applied to the local authority for pre-planning permission on alterations to Rhosddu Chapel, which is a class of Wrexham Methodist Church. The proposed alterations were drawn up by an architect and involved a small extension and internal alterations. However the local authority advised that without an additional 14 parking spaces this would be refused and there is currently no separate parking and no land on which to put a car park. The sale process for the redundant chapel at Brymbo continued throughout the year and the managing trustees have entered into a contract, to sell the property to Wales and West Housing Association. This is subject to Wales and West Housing obtaining planning permission for the development. At the end of the year, the property was still in the care of the Circuit and the planning process is ongoing. A group of young people from the after school drop in at Llangollen went to 3Generate, the Methodist Church’s annual children and young people’s gathering at the NEC in Birmingham as part of a large group from across Wales Synod Cymru. They were accompanied by the Circuit children and young people’s worker and a number of volunteers from the Circuit. Additionally, many of these young people plus others took part in the ‘Big Day Out’ organised by Momentwm, the district young people’s organisation, which was again an opportunity to meet and get to know better other young people from across Wales. Churches across the Circuit have continued to support social and charitable initiatives including supporting local food banks, supporting the roofless, collections for specific charities and groups to combat loneliness amongst the elderly. Many of the people in our congregations continue to live out their Christian discipleship through their own volunteering with many organisations in their own community. |**E. Financial Review**|**E. Financial Review**| |---|---| |Brief statement of the charity’s
policy on reserves.|The Reserves Policy for the Wrexham Methodist Circuit is to hold a sum
equivalent to 50% of a normal year’s expenditure – i.e. approximately
£70,000. This is deemed sufficient to meet any unforeseen item of
major expenditure on manses and/or to be able to continue, in the short
term, the funding of planned activities in the event of the closure of a
large church or an inability to raise the full Circuit Assessment from
churches.| |Details of any funds materially in
deficit|None| |Overview of the accounts|In the 2023/24 accounts:
70% of the Circuit’s income was provided by the local churches, and an
additional 6% came in the form of grant support from the Wales Synod
Cymru of the Methodist Church with the rental income making up the
majority of the remainder.
56% of the Circuit’s expenditure was on ministerial stipends, lay worker
salaries and related costs, and a further 20% was our contribution to the
Synod, of which part is used to fund the work of the wider Methodist
Church. Manses accounted for a further 13% of costs.| **F. Further Information** None ~~Ge~~ **G. Declaration** ~~pe~~ This report is submitted on behalf of the trustees by: Signature: Reverend James Eaton-Challinor, Superintendent Minister, Wrexham Methodist Circuit CIRCUIT RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Wrexham CFrcuit Circuil FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2024 Wales Dislrict Circuit no 2.126 Registered Charity - Charity Registration number 1132841 If not a registered charity His Majesty's Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number (The HM RC number is equ4valent to a registered cnarity number in Ip,rms ol ekidence of charitable slalus an.d may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see eviden￿ of the organisalion's charitable status. Nqet,4odisl char,.ties in Englapd and Wales Ihal are nol registered nhari*ies are eKcepied from registration under Statutory lostrumenl 2014 No.?42) Mir,isters'. Rev James Ea.on-￿hall1nUr Circuit Stewards: Tim Guy..... Treasurtsr.. Saran Ha Gfjd 2Q2&24 circJ5t-r 3n¢JJ-2024 115 1015 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2024 Wrexham Circuit Crrcuit Un- Circu rèslricled Model Trust Restri¢ted Funds Fund funds Tot315 this year lotals lasl year SECTION A RECEIPTS Note 32 Assessment.'Share 100.437 100,437 Ital rece',p15 a4.BanK and CFB intere81 and "lovestrnent Income 2,521 2.605 5.126 3.288 a5.'Grarls 9,000 29,873 Othe," reTrip', TOTAL RECEIPTS 29.873 £2.929 a7 141,831 2,605 144,436 la8) 131,887 SECTION 8 b1 PAYMENTS Stipends, salaries. NIC Pension ano travel costs 79.976 79.976 72,140 b3 1anse Costs 18 1)221 18,G22 4,203 23,734 b4 ,AerYinislrat.on elc 4.062 141 b5 Distr￿ct Assessmen; 28.069 27,583 b6 b7 Gran'.s & dona?iO,"S reia uation 3d,us! 2,479 98 b8 Oikier parfments TOTAL PAYMENTS 7408 7,408 11.407 138.783 1.374 140,157:, b91 139,056 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 a7-b9 3.048 4,279 ._L7.1691 c2 Tolal fJnds broui'41 forward from. las:. ear 104,476 c61 1"1,545 Sub total cl+c2 58,182,, 50.573,: 108,755 104,476 Tra?sFer5 and ad ai 51menls E71 |c5 TOTAL FiJNDS AT END OF YEAR {c3+c4) 58.182 50.573 108,755 {c8) 104,476 Ic61 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY.. MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS these amounts should not be included in tolal recei .'payments above) d1 aalanne b-: o 'al for4vard frcrr, last -.ear d2 fferin sloifts recÉi%ied for PXierr.al o ofjs d3 OfferinggGIfts - J3ssed lo extery)ai ow3tlisaiions BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID {d1 + d2- d3 d4 202>2. cir¢L411-r aThJJ-20=4 111 VlrexhaEn Circuit SUM¥AJiY CF C'RCVIT ACCOVWTS Ap40 0RGA141SAT￿H REPOR TIYG io fHE CIRCIJIT MEFTING I SF.e.TIQN E the GU￿art& N rom leie this ,m8ry u, i.",e Ci,'ruil 4knCE. tra 3" .- In:.*rn310-,- an, and otr1￿nIS 10".ayS o* tre cpr￿aLl If PJ".C>S.nioifie efB8e-. s 1*Cir￿lS ltyr•s-,.old i.2JO."ao 11A4',I &LcpJ?':s fnpth.oo ol accouPhin J A4D A DIFrER"' fofei ly the.3 Ida4CF. -.9 Ir4r.£ Phe INTE4fvAL ORGMISATIONS er ￿e.-e￿& P.Qi a ￿￿e￿ts a.ances ).465 ¢) Sub lota.'- or9ari153j￿r1b fLJl'.4S 1,46S 1,465 ¢¢121 C5f¢Ulk (totals >10119ht frum l¢LJ P3ge 2 totals Golumn,. f44.436 140.157 4.279 104.476 Ic61 106,755 ¢ir..IHELD BY CIR£UtT 144.436 1411.157 4.279 105,941 Ixl OqLP.Le separa shepi ri ypce55ary ar.d onF)q l** iQtsi% I?TJL PAVMEN-. S SEGFtrON F ST AfEIthE￿-. OF ASSETS AhD LtA8LII OPENING BALA￿CEs CLOSING BALANCES CIRCiJtr. FUNOS HELD at 31 ust 2024 .'14 1 ￿en.1T3[ Fin3rce Bga<.J TrL'sl&es JrY.*, P.JWS 49.342 SULI TOTAL 104,476'ic61 fj08,753 Ic81' C￿$1* 1>alarI￿￿:415l5 ib)v¢] 1.465'14*f? -. OT AL CASH FUhDS HELO BY LIRCU 105,941 110.218 IsEfTtON G OTHE14 ASS San LNBILITIES L8J',a èul 1425.074 1 8*4 IL4 cb3 ear e￿1 Other idbiltt3 *4 Inr.I￿t.j￿￿l F.Ipu5 hpld 31 knertL'.al &.3 ffj Incl￿* FarAs at irnstets fe.." p*le￿J151 Lhvrv Ptsrr4)SES S ll.ie *￿- I ,.￿br r.. Name of Circuit . Wrexham 2.125 Declarations and Scrutiny I confirn tiat these Receipt and Paymen; based accounts for the year lo 3 1 August 2024 have been prepared from the records of tb.e Circuil and that they include all ftsnds urider Ihe control of the Circuit SignatLire of 'Lreasurer Date.... Na￿e and address of treasurer ts S Haywood 41 Wynnstay Lane, MarFord, Wrexham LL12 8LH Presentation to the Circuit meeting I confirm that the annual report and accounts for Lhe year ended 31 Augusi 2024 werelwill be" presented to the Circuit meeting held on 19103125 Signature of the Criair of the meeti.og Date 19103125 Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the . wrexhaffl Charity Number . 132841 Responsibilities and basis of report I report to the truslees on ￿,Y examination of the accoiints of the Circuit for the year ended 31 August 2024 set OUL on pages . I to J As the Circuit's trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of ihe accotsnts in accordan￿ with the requiremenis of the Charitses Acl 2011 ('the Act.). I report in respeci of my examination o,: the Circui s accoijnis carried out under section 145 of the Act ane, in carrying OU'L my examination. I have followed all tne applicable Directions given by the Charity Commiss..on under section 145(5Xb) of the Act. delete or circle as appropria¥e 202J-24 ¢ilCiltt-r and_p-2024 111 41of Name of Circuit y Irexkiam Independent Examiner's Statement I have CO￿pIe{ed my exami?3tiop, I confi,"ro th.ai no material matters have come io my atlentiori in connection with +he examin.ation loib.e,' than Iha,.. disclosed beiOW"} which give me cause to believe. Inal in, any material respect. the accounting records were not kep'L in accordance w'ith sea'on 130 of th.e Act, or the accounts do not accord with the accour,ting records. I have no coyce'ns and have come across no other rr.3tters in connectioy with Ihe exam,'nal:.on to which attention should be d,'awn In this repoi i in order to enable a prope,. Jnderstanding o! the accounts to be reached. I haveinave not. oblained independent verificatiog 0! ali investments with the Trustees for N.1eth,odist Church Purposes or held in other triJsts. bank balances and fuods al the Central Finance Board of the Melhodist Church which are Individually tn excess of £IO.000 (ten tnousand po'Jnds) at the balance sheet date Signature of independent examiner Name of Independep.t eXa￿,lner Relevant professional Guaij':,'cation of independent examiner thcA Name of firrr. [￿b.ere appropriate) ra OJ Post Code 11 Date delete or circle as appropriate 2Q43_24 CilCIAIt-i andJ-20£4 111 ?015