**Trustees' Annual Report for the period 01/09/2020 to 31/08/2021 Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Methodist Circuit** ## **Objectives and activities** The purposes of the Methodist Church are 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. The Circuit acts as an umbrella body for the 7 Methodist Churches, which fall within the Circuit’s area. The Circuit produces a quarterly preaching plan to ensure regular acts of worship take place at each of those 7 churches. These are open to all people without charge. ## **Achievements and Performance.** The trustees have taken note of the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and in particular their guidance on charities for the advancement of religion, when planning their activities. The actions taken by the circuit meet the requirement for there to be an identifiable public benefit or benefits and that such benefit is to the public or a section of the public. During 2020/21 worship and events in the Circuit were greatly impacted by the pandemic. Worship was provided during the months of lockdown via recorded YouTube and Zoom services and Zoom Bible studies. Where possible, outreach such as Messy Church and the church uniformed groups met over Zoom, and pastoral care and community engagement continued through phone calls, online and paper notices and letters, and in person doorstep-visiting where appropriate. During the 2020/21 financial year the Circuit has used its funds raised from the churches in the following ways: - Our ministers together with local preachers provide regular Sunday worship in our churches. Such services are freely available to their local communities and every effort is made to make the experience of worship welcoming and meaningful to visitors. - The Circuit has provided courses for those requiring Safeguarding training, and has ensured that DBS checks have been completed for those whose voluntary posts require them. The Circuit has adopted and regularly revises a Safeguarding Policy - covering both children and vulnerable adults - and has ensured it is rolled out to the churches. - The Circuit continues to support local churches in their work with young people. - The Circuit encourages its churches to engage with their local communities. - The Circuit has carried out its oversight of the churches through 4 meetings of the Circuit - There is a regular review process carried out by the Leadership Team to ensure that the Charity is fulfilling its objectives. - Risks to the Circuit are considered by the Circuit Leadership Team (*see below) who oversee the day to day running of the charity and report to the full meeting of Trustees. Professional advice is taken as required. ## **Financial review** During the year the Circuit received total receipts of £139,254.00 (2018-19: £140,460.00) and dispersed £138,668.00 (2018-19 £1146,949.00). This financial position was much as expected – making use of the proceeds of sale in the previous years of one house, which was no longer needed for use by the Circuit. These are being used over a period of 3 years to enable the Circuit to maintain its current complement of staff, without demanding more money from the churches than they can easily raise. The trustees of the Circuit have every reason to believe that the Circuit is a going concern, principally because churches continue to meet the assessments required of them. The Circuit has adequate reserves to cover any unforeseen events. Trustees do not foresee any factors that will significantly affect the financial performance or position in the next year or two. The Circuit holds 4 freehold properties, 2 being used to house the Ministers of the Circuit and 2 being rented out to supplement the income produced by assessment. The Circuit has the following principal sources of funds: - Assessments on Churches within the Circuit - Interest on investments - Rents paid for the 2 additional houses owned and rented out. These sums are used primarily to pay the Ministerial staff of the Circuit, to pay their expenses and to maintain the houses of the Circuit. Smaller sums are used to support particular mission initiatives undertaken by churches. ## **Reserves Policy** - The Reserves Policy for the Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Circuit is to hold a sum equivalent to 6 months' average expenditure. This should be sufficient to meet any unforeseen item of major expenditure on manses and to be able to continue in the short term funding planned activities in the event of the closure of a large church or an inability to raise the full Circuit Assessment from churches. - It is necessary to hold sufficient working capital to enable the quarterly payment of stipends and business expenses for 2 paid ministers, part time workers and to cover our contribution to the District and the Connexion. - Details of funds materially in deficit. There are none. **Structure governance and management** **Description of the charity's trusts** _Type of governing document_ Deed of Union (1932) and Methodist Church Act (1976) _How the charity is constituted_ Act of Parliament _Trustee selection methods_ Appointed by local churches and existing trustees. Ministers are automatically trustees _Additional governance issues_ None _Induction/Training_ A range of guidance is produced by Methodist Connexion. Leaflet 'The Role of a Trustee in The Methodist Church' is given to each trustee. _Structure_ Part of the Plymouth and Exeter Methodist District. Accountable to the Methodist Conference. _Related Parties_ None ## **Reference and administration details** _Charity Name_ The Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Methodist Circuit. ## _Registered Charity Number_ 1133126. _Charity's Principal Address_ Temple Methodist Church, Upper High Street, Taunton TA1 3PY ## _Names of the Charity Trustees who manage the charity_ . The Charity Trustees are the members of the Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Circuit Meeting. This comprised during the year of this report. |*Rev Chris Brown|Elaine Dew| |---|---| |*Rev Deborah Kirk|Jane Allin| |Ian Rossiter|*Virginia Pearson| |Hazel Burnett|*Richard Sillett| |Frances Lewis|Brenda Lamberton| |*Carol Stowe|Kevi Boseley| |Peter Thomas|Sue Parker| |SandyRogers|Chris Downing| |Merlyn Brown|Pauline Steward| |Janet Sillett|Louise Wright| |Merlyn Brown|Robert Ormesher| |Lynda Kazer|Doreen Marks| |Marlene Burnell|Margaret Sweet| |Margaret Walters|Daphne Gilham| |---|---| |Kevin Boseley|Barbara Poole| |Joanne Pinguenet|Valerie Pearson| |Glenys Allinson|David Clitheroe| |Denise Eggington|Graham Dickinson| |Peter Crew|TonyCox| |AnthonyHuxtable|Robin Hutt| |RoyCrouch|Brian Stocks| |Lynda Kazer|Robert Ormesher| |David Clitheroe|| * indicates a member of the Circuit Leadership Team, who as a group manage the Circuit between full Circuit Meetings. _Custodian trustees_ Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes Manchester ## **Declaration** The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above. Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees ||**Christopher Brown**|
**Natalie Knight**| |---|---|---| |Full name(s)|Chris Brown
|Natalie Knight| |Position|Chair|Secretary| |Date|23/03/2021|23/03/21| Appended to this report is the Statement of Financial Activity for the year concerned together with the Balance Sheet at year end. CIRcurr RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Taunton Deano and South Sodggmoor Circuit FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021 outh and Exeler District Circuit no 24115 Reglstered Charlty- Charlty Reglstrallon number 1133126 If not a r8gist8r8d charity H9r Mal9$ty$ Revonuo and Cust￿$ Glft Ald numbgr (The HMRC number equivalent to a registered charity number in terms of ewdence of tharitable status and may te us&Y to give to dcfftors cr grant funders wishing lo see evidence of Ihe organisation's charitab stslus. Meth(xlisl chanties in England and Wales that are ncrt wisterwj chawiks are extxptwj from registration uThJ8r Statulory Instrumenl 2014 No.2421 Ministers.. Rev Deborah lQrk Circuit Stewards.. Richard Sillett Ca￿1 St(¥we lan Rossi18r Trèasur8r" Peter Th)mas 2015 Cycut P. 1 cl I T•unton D￿n• •nd South S•d oor 20ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021 Clreu Un- Clrcult trtct•d Mod•l Trust R•tstrkt•d Funds Fund Funds T6t*ts th Tatalb y••r SECTION A RECEIPTS Noi• Asse5srnenUShare 109.237 109,237 111.648 Ital reTri Bank CFB Inlelest aTh InveslJnenl Income 61 14 138 Grants Olher rec£ipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 29.722 158 29,879 28.128 139.020 14 221 139,2S4 140,460 SECTION B b1 b2 PAYMENTS $b￿ndS, salanes. NIC. Pen4on aThJ travel costs 75.159 75,1 S9 76.648 b3 Manse Co$ts 14.294 16.289 Adminislraih)n e 4.056 b5 Distnct Assessnwi 29.359 31.661 Granis & donaiior 7.505 7.705 b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 8.027 20 8,047 138.668 9.868 b9 138.400 Ib91 146.949 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSJPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ¢1 a7-b9 2551 221 Total funds bro hl forward from lasl 57.588 9.932 42.832 110.352 116.841 Sub ioial c1•c2 58.208 9,677 43,053 110.938 110,352 Translers and a uslments 7.069 7.005 64 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR Ic3rf41 65,276 2,672 42,990 110.938 110,352 c6 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECENED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS thes8 amounts should not be Includ8d In total rKo1 Wpaym•nts •lJo¥•l Balance brou ht forward from lasl ar 1.471 1.471 d2 Oflen sIGifts . reeeived for extemal or anLsalion$ d3 Offen sIGIfts. assed lo exlemal anis8tK)ns BALANCE STILL TO BE PAJD dl+d2.d3 1.471 1.471 2015 Rjrd PJ nton Omn• and South a• SUIWRYOF coKIKrxccrtlNTS *#ID*4TERM*LOFt(IAMl5AT￿ REPORTIW3TO TbECRCLKfiEETIIQ $eeTKJW E &JThwnaryof X(uunls IDr 11* enthy 31 th￿U￿t 2021 IntEmal to Mpelry NL*è thai thè funts 41 èn I￿￿￿al Olganw￿￿ ¥tsJd mrn*Wy t*ReStr￿*d IL4)ts 11 Cl>J￿ ￿ dearly ihai be for anylrf*trtsJtsi wrpose. Th5 sectwjl WJSI ￿Hr￿at the ry055 r￿￿5 ￿ P•yTMrd8 toWsc4 ihe Circu¢ Vw5 YKCMB thmhcld of£250.iUI. AND ADFFEREPIt FORU b) ihe Kccur451see ￿t￿et￿￿). PlBwer¢ferloitr¢W￿￿* Subtol&l ollnteffl ty)n¥fv￿S 13& IELD BY CIICLiir 139254 131.4*8 110,352 110,938 ToT*LREc￿s TOT•L PAVIIEN18 the SECnON F ITATEMENT ￿ A*BEtsAYD L￿L[rEX LVEIIING CLOSI CRCW.CA8H FSJIKI$ trELD• JI hond 4.197 12,568 182 50.973 43.871 SUB TOTAL T¢w ljndg MJtsyintsm*ofganwwA ( TOT*LCASH Fiif•DS HELO BY cRcIKr 110.352 110.138 secTk)MO 1.387.849 1.422.536 Lo iÉnd f5In(¥JaewtyCFBF￿ktt hehybt N￿8 of C*rJJit T8ufbton Deane 8nd Swlh Sedg￿r No 24115 Declarations and Scrutiny I rthfimi thal Ihege Recdpt •rwJ Pwment b8#ed act4￿￿ lor the ￿ to 31 ￿Jgu$1 2021 h8* been prepartd from the ol Ihe arcuit and that they kndude ati rund5 uTrJer the conlrol of Ihe clrrJj￿ ￿￿e￿.￿g. Sh3MbJre ol tr￿U￿r .......... Date 12 12 3)21 N*ne and of treaswer ...Peter TkJm89...... 8 Ir*￿1 Green. TAUNTON........................................... Post Ct¥Je...TA12TA Prwntotlon to tho Clycult m••tlng l 4x￿￿￿￿ that the amual report tLcounts tor the year thjed 31 ￿[￿41 2021 be esenied 10 the Cirtuil meeting h￿d on %larch 24th 2022 Sh3nabJre of the Chalr Ollhe rneetkng .... N￿e of Ihe Chair of meeb'ng Rev Cth$wher Dole .12.2021 Ind&￿nd￿nt Examlnar's R•port to tha Trn*t8￿ of th• Taunton Deane and ScArth Sedgemoor Clrcult Charlty Numb•r 1133126 R￿pOn11b4II1h+S •nd ba*1* of rnport I reFXPrt lo the truslees on my e￿mInal￿)n ollhe ￿t(￿Ants ofthe Tath)ton Dean& and Sth Sethjen￿￿ CIrc￿l Cirtuit lor Ihe year ended 31 A￿juSt 2021 Sei oui on page5 110 3 A5 the Circuit's tFuslee5. you are re5ponsbk for tr Fyepafaim of the in accc¥dance ￿1h Ihe requireffEnts ol Ihe ch*11￿ Acl 20111.the Aci'l. l In of my eYAmInad￿ of Ihe Ckn¢ulV$ wxJnL8 cxrled out under $e(kn 145 of Ihe Acl 8nd. In carrylr¥J out my ami￿tk)n. I hwe foltr*td ￿1 the aprAr8bk DIred￿9 by the Chyrlty Cwfimissiw se(IKX) 145ISMbl of the A ' d*te or as aFpropdate Name of CircAJit Taunton Deane and Sotrth Sedgemoor No 24115 Indep8ndènt Examinèrfs Statèmont I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in conneclion with the examination (other than that disclosed below") vthich give me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were nol kept in accordance with seclion 130 of the Act. or the accounts do not ac(￿rd with Ihe accounts'ng records. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection wlh Ihe examinalion to thich attenlion should te drawn in this report in order to enable a proFer understanding of the accounts to be reached. I havelhave nol" obtained independent vertfication of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purp)ses OT held in other trusts, bank balances and furKls at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,000 (ten thousarKI pounds) at the balance sheet date. Signature of ir)dependent examiner Name of independent examiner .David Hav￿Ing8............................ Relevant professional qualtfication of independent examiner C Math....................................... Name of finn (vthere appropriate) Address .5 HitherAcre. ILMINSTER..................................................................................... Post Ccde ..TA19 9DA............... Date 121h Dee￿mber 2021 2015 arrAAt Rand P.) 1 011