Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY **ASHBURTON TEIGNBRIDGE METHODIST CIRCUIT Annual Report 2024/25** 1 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY ## _**Teignbridge Methodist Circuit – 2024/25**_ The Teignbridge Methodist Circuit comprises twelve Church Councils, of which Ashburton covers more than one location. The Churches are arranged in four sections as follows: - **Moorland:** Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Buckfast and South Brent Methodist Churches - **Newton Abbot:** The Avenue Church (Methodist with United Reformed) and Shaldon Road Methodist Church. - **Coastal:** Bishopsteignton, Dawlish, Shaldon and Teignmouth Methodist Churches. - **Totnes:** Ipplepen and Totnes Methodist Churches ## **Circuit Leadership Team:** Paid ministers (ordained and lay), with pastoral responsibility/charge during 2024-25 - Rev. Kevin Hooke - Rev. Gill Daniel - Rev Helen Bell - Ms Sharon Hurlow Circuit Stewards - Mr. John Harrison - Mr. Andrew Parsons - Ms Sheila Bendall - Mrs Nichola Quaintence ## **Local Lay Pastor (in training):** Ms Sara Crouch **Circuit Pastoral Worker:** Mrs Sharon Canning ## **Circuit Administrator:** Ms Kay Fice **Supernumerary Ministers:** In total there are six supernumerary (retired) ministers in the Teignbridge Methodist Circuit, four of whom regularly preach in the circuit's churches. 2 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY ## Trustees —2024/25 'Trustees serving during the year with specific responsibilities were as follows' Chair: Rev Kevin Peter Hooke Secretary: Ms Sharon Ann Hurlow Treasurer: Mr John Harrison ## **Full list of Trustees** ||**Full li**| |---|---| |Maria Jeanne|Alsop| |Denys Henry|Bament| |Marianne Patricia|Barrett Rogers| |Arthur Michael|Barrett Rogers| |Sheila Margaret|Bendall| |Helen
Since 1 Sep 2024|Bell| |Malcolm John|Benton| |Anne Margaret|Berridge| |Jane
Since 1 Mar 2025|Billing| |Jennifer|Bonner| |Christian Dafydd Huw
Vincent|Canning| |Sharon Mildred|Canning| |Vincent Graham|Canning| |Sara
Since 1 Sep 2024|Crouch| |Gill Margaret|Daniel| |Rosemarie Ann|Dungey| |Jill Mary|Elliott| |Kay Elizabeth|Fice| |Jean|Francis| |Ann Rosemary|Golpin| |Gillian Elsie|Hardy| |Stephen John|Harris| |John|Harrison| |Jane
Ended|Holmes| |Geoffrey Martin
Kenneth
Since 15 Sep 2025|Hobbs| |Kevin Peter|Hooke| |**rustees**|| |---|---| |Carol
Ended|Hughes| |Sharon Ann|Hurlow| |Alan Albert|Johnston| |Duncan Alexander|Knight| |Stephen Paul|Major| |Agnes McKee|McFeat| |Alexander Wright|McFeat| |Carol Ann|Morgan| |Andrew Russell|Parsons| |Arthur James
Since 1 Sep 2024|Pengelly| |Nichola Mary|Quaintance| |Rosemary|Quin| |Jean Lilian Ann|Sabine| |Andrew David|Sinden| |Edward John|Stephenson| |Patricia May|Stephenson| |Patsy Gladys|Tidball| |Margaret Helen|Vosper| |Serena Anne|Walcot| |John|Walton| |Paul Stephen
Ended|Weir| |Anne-Marie
Ended|Whiting| 3 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY ## Financial Responsibility A sub set of the Trustees are set apart to form a group of people who are in financial control of the Charity, with responsibility for the day to day finances, banking and handling of money and assets. The sub set is known locally as “The Circuit Leadership Team”. Trustees who are not part of the sub set cannot personally, or by their own actions, access or give any direct instructions about Charity money or assets. They can only influence the work of the Charity through full meetings of the Trustees where decisions are by majority vote, whereupon the decisions are passed to the Circuit Leadership Team for implementation. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Charity Trustees
Comprising Chair and Trustees
Circuit Leadership Team
Circuit Leadership Team
Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, plus a reduced number of Trustees. These
people are in financial control of the Charity
**----- End of picture text -----**
## Objectives and Activities We understand that we are not engaging in our mission, but rather participating in God’s mission to all people, in partnership with others and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We also understand that mission is all that we are sent to do by Christ. It includes not only evangelism but also service to our communities, pursuit of social justice and concern for the environment. We are to be signs of and sharers in the Kingdom of God and its values. We understand that we live with the tensions of being both an inherited church and a 'discipleship movement shaped for mission' and that we need to work creatively with the opportunities and challenges this brings. As a Circuit we believe that it is therefore our responsibility: - ➢ To manage our resources strategically and prayerfully, to maximise their effectiveness; - ➢ To support the churches in fulfilling their own mission strategies and objectives. To do so we will: - Conduct periodic Circuit Reviews to determine the greatest opportunities for growth and outreach 4 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY - Maintain appropriate levels of ordained and lay staffing, seeking grant funding as necessary, and deploying them in line with the identified opportunities for growth - Maintain a balanced Circuit Budget - Develop appropriate strategic ecumenical partnerships at Circuit level - Foster Circuit identity and cohesion through Circuit Services and the sharing of information - Work in partnership with neighbouring Circuits to use resources and expertise efficiently and effectively - Encourage and support differing expressions of worship alongside traditional forms - Group churches in ways which encourage the most effective partnerships between them for mission - Encourage churches to work closely with their own ecumenical partners - Provide Circuit opportunities for growth in discipleship and missional understanding - Develop and maintain relationships with other services and organisations serving the wellbeing of our communities ## Achievements and Performance —2024/25 During the year 2024-25 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit continued to provide ministerial leadership to its churches. it gave a significant grant as a partner in the ROC project at Dawlish and one smaller donation to support Ivybridge YFC. In September 2024, the Circuit welcomed Rev. Helen Bell as minister to the coastal section on a part-time basis, and Sharon Hurlow took over ministry at Bovey Tracey Methodist Church, as well as taking on other duties. The Superintendent Minister also became the Superintendent of the neighbouring South Devon Circuit at the same time, alongside his role as one of the Deputy Chairs of District. In the autumn of 2024, the South Devon Circuit Meeting voted to make an approach to merge the two Circuits from September 2026, and the Teignbridge Circuit Meeting then in Spring 2025 formally agreed to explore the practicalities and potential of such a merger. The two Circuit Leadership Teams have then been meeting regularly to work at this. Whatever the eventual outcome, there are now joint staff and Local Preachers’/Worship Leaders’ meetings. The Spring 2025 meeting of Church Stewards and Treasurers continued to recognise the financial pressures on the local churches and, as well as agreeing the budget for 2025-26, appointed a sustainability group to look at creating greater viability in the Circuit. During the year, the Circuit maintained the weekly Sunday Zoom service, which continued as an embedded as part of the Circuit’s life and witness, enabling a number of people to 5 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY attend worship at times when they cannot get to a church building. It also maintained its Circuit plan, allocating Local Arrangement services as equitably as possible across the churches (recognising that some already take responsibility for parts of their worshipping life), and encouraging the skills of local church members in organising and taking part in Local Arrangements. The Circuit continues to encourage and support developing ecumenical connections in many places, but particularly at Ashburton, Bishopsteignton and Ipplepen, alongside the formal L.E.P. with the United Reform Church at The Avenue . The Circuit has also managed its properties, both those used for Manses and one that is rented out. It continues to use the revenue from the latter to support its ongoing activities. The Circuit continued to take seriously its responsibilities in safeguarding and GDPR matters and to support its Churches to do the same. The Circuit continues to review its Safeguarding policy annually in line with the changing requirements and guidance of the Methodist Church, engages in an annual Safeguarding audit, and supports its local Churches in several ways: - providing templates for their own policies, - overseeing DBS and training records, - offering templates for role descriptions, - the availability of the Circuit Safeguarding Officer for advice. In line with Methodist requirements, all those leading worship on the Circuit plan (worship leaders and preachers) have undertaken advanced safeguarding training (either through the Methodist Church or at an equivalent level in the case of some of our regular visitors from our partner denominations). ## Public Benefit Throughout the year 2024/25 the Trustees of the Teignbridge Methodist Circuit have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and have acted accordingly. They are committed to continue to do so in the future. ## Plans for the Future The Circuit will seek to support those churches as they develop projects for which capital reserve money has been earmarked —such as the building works at Buckfast Chapel. The Sustainability Group will continue to review the viability of churches across the Circuit, seek to encourage change, and make recommendations to the Circuit meeting. The Circuit will continue to explore the possibility of a merger with the South Devon Circuit, and go through the necessary processes to report to District Policy Committee in February 2026. Ongoing missional planning for the future will need to be reviewed in the light of the merger decision but in the meantime the Circuit will continue to encourage Churches to engage with their local communities and keep an overview of the needs of the area. 6 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY ## Reserves Policy Our Reserves Policy is to maintain a General Fund value sufficient: - To hold a reserve for the maintenance of our team of presbyteral ministers of - £86,500 to pay for the stipends of two presbyters, including employment costs. - To hold a reserve for our property maintenance of £ 50,000 for the four manses and a fifth residential property owned by the Circuit. - We hold a reserve of 50% to cover other running costs, which in the year to 31[st] August 2025 amounted to £ 72,700 The reserves at year end were set at £ 209,200 Kevin P. Hooke, Superintendent Minister 10[th] February 2026 7 Tt*nbrhj¥eMEthodhtUrc￿tc￿11ty NUmber1134Z46ThEAYenuethurth.fvAw￿uE. NewtvnAbbuC D￿￿.TQLz2By T•*nbrWy m•thodhtUrC￿t 5tster*•*of Atta￿lA￿k￿Ye$15￿FAl1￿lh¢￿ter￿eJyl AwuStZOZ5 Fund IUnre51rittpdl C*uft ￿l￿dI1 Trust IvnYestYktr4 e5tiktqd Fund5 Tiu51 Ir*$4rtatsdl Tot•1 202+25 Tot41 2ty2)-24 In(JJrnE DunalioTh5 I￿j1e￿ai￿s lrttoMÈfMmmDnÈiatyin¥eStments 1nc0mefromln￿5tment propert A55e55mPDt5an Chur(he5 Lo#ThRepa￿?￿t Grantsietèlved OthErchèritableincorne Sale uf6urkfa5tle¥h Meihudi5trChurth IstÈllanÈousln(tsmÈ TotalinwDp I3.￿9 7.828 12.010 13.589 24.(P)8 140 26540 26598 7.039 8.612 131.947 16077 3.760 20.(KW) 162982 4.998 274 l5Z 3LO 551 Ex￿￿dIt￿re Grantsanddonatlo 8ucWa5tChurch |aripsiThda55oo*ed rusts Property ÈAPÈThSeS 13.240 13.240 18.917 20&587 69,486 69.486 28.917 2U8.587 36.704 3.560 61.419 io 42.319 13.164 53.560 DistnttA55e55rnenl TMCPL Offlceèxpenses OtheroutgoiDg5 Indpppndenl Examinei'5 FEP TotalcharitableeKppDditure 61.419 15,4 8,128 7.9)1 537 5.OBI 9.690 510 4,955 GalThslllossesl on MweiètylAvestnw)ts GalThs111055esl on lThvtstM￿ffltprC￿rt1e1 Nel IllCLYDelleKpendrturpl Tran5fet5bptween funds Othwgainslll￿￿I Net mo¥emEntinfufid5 -64.749 48.294 -300 -9.892 194 -73.849 -3th) -74.149 -9.892 48.lfrj .952 Totsifunls br4ughtforwa Totalfvnd5rarripdfory¥ard i.sgi.4g4 1 564 719 Iss.1 I,B49,81? John Harrison 9 ## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Telgnbrldge Methodist Circuit Charity number 1134246** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Teignbridge Methodist Circuit for the year ended 31"August 2025, as set out on pages 9—13. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) As the charity trustees 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 Charity'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: (1) 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. Clare Lillington FMAAT Raddon Station Hill Chudleigh Newton Abbot TQ13 OEE Dated: 13[th] February 2026 10 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY ## **Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Circuit No 37/28** ## **Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st August 2025** ## **1 Basis of accounting** The financial statements have been prepared under the Charities Act 2011 in accordance with the 2015 version of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS102—the Charities SORP (FRS102) (2019). ## **2 Funds** The funds held constitute: General Funds held for any purpose of the Circuit which are Unrestricted; the Circuit Model Trust Fund, which has wide purposes defined in Standing Orders and is categorised as Unrestricted and Restricted Funds which are held for a narrower purpose. There are no Endowment Funds. ## **3 Accounting policies** ## **Basis** These accounts have been prepared on the basis of historical cost except that investments are shown at fair value at the end of the year, on the accruals basis, to show a true and fair view of the Circuit's financial position and activities. The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis. ## **Incoming Resources** Income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the Circuit becomes entitled to the resources, and the trustees are reasonably certain they will receive the resources; and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability. ## **Resources Expended** This is recognised when a liability is incurred, or a constructive obligation arises, that results in the payment being unavoidable. Liabilities are recognised as soon as an outflow of economic benefit is considered more likely than not under the legal or constructive obligation committing the Circuit to pay out resources ## **Grants** Grants made by the Circuit from its own funds are recognised in full at the time of agreement or when the Circuit accepts that there is a legal or operational obligation to make payment. ## **VAT** Since the Circuit is not VAT registered, all input VAT is charged with the expenses to which it refers. 11 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY |**4 Donations & Legacies**
Donations including gift aid
Gift for Church Repairs
Collection
Gift Aid Received
**5 Income from properties**
4 Jacks Close
46 Kingsdown Crescent
Ilsington Graveyard
**6 Other charitable income**
Publications
Connexional Funds
**7 Grants & Donations**
ROC Dawlish Project
Buckfastleigh Chapel Lintels
Plymouth & Exeter District benevolent fund
Cuttack
Ivybridge Youth For Christ bus
Corbyn Fund
**8 Buckfast Methodist Church**
Holne War Memorial
Buckfast Chapel Ramp
Buckfast Operating Costs
_(Analysis started in 2024-25)_|**2025**
**_2024_**
9,589
_140_
4,000
_0_
0
_0_
0
_0_| |---|---| ||**13,589**
_140_| ||**2025**
**_2024_**
0
_15,348_
10,200
_9,950_
1,810
_1300_| ||**12,010**
_26,598_| ||**2025**
**_2024_**
200
_17_
3,560
_3,760_| ||**3,760**
_3,777_| ||**2025**
**_2024_**
12,000
_12,000_
0
_30,869_
140
_140_
100
1,000
_1,000_
0
_9,400_| ||**13,240**
_69,486_| ||**2025**
**New**
600
9,317
19,000
**28,917**| _This note shows income and expenditure relating to Buckfast Methodist Church and Designated Funds held by Teignbridge Circuit. Buckfast Church have no TMCP account in their own name, and the activities are connected to funds from the Sale of assets from Buckfastleigh and Scoriton Chapels when they were known as Buckfastleigh Methodist Church_ 12 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY |**9 Paid employees**|**2025**|**_2024_**| |---|---|---| |Staff costs incurred during the year were:||| |Gross salaries and benefits in kind - Ministers|115,535|_75,024_| |- Others|82,578|_77,895_| |Travelling Expenses|10,474|_9,192_| ||**208,587**|_162,111_| |No employee was paid at a rate of more than £ 60,000|per annum|| ||**2025**|**_2024_**| |Average number of full time equivalent employees|4.96|_5_| |**10 Property Expenses**|**2025**|**_2024_**| |Water rates|2,274|_1,763_| |Council Tax|10,537|_9,287_| |Manses|15,200|_25,773_| |Insurance|4,350|_4,228_| |Building surveys|975|_0_| |Church repairs|0|_0_| |Let properties|3,369|_1,269_| ||**36,705**|_42,319_| |**11 Office Expenses**|**2025**|**_2024_**| |Telephone|3,032|_3,031_| |Printing|584|_584_| |Publications|984|_182_| |Wages charges|480|_480_| |TMCP Charges|1,047|_679_| |Bank Charges|0|_0_| ||**6,127**|_4,955_| |**12 Other outgoings**|**2025**|**_2024_**| |Supernumerary fees|1,755|_2,114_| |Local Preachers Costs|36|_0_| |Non Employee travel expenses|2,215|_1,249_| |Training|1,486|_907_| |Ilsington graveyard|885|_720_| |Miscellaneous|1,263|_1,304_| |Corbyn fund|0|_0_| |Stationing, removal expenses etc|1,245|_7,438_| |Apprentice levy|804|_648_| ||**9,690**|_14,379_| 13 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Charity Number 1134246 The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY |**13 Tangible Fixed Assets Cost**
**Manses**
35 Valley Close
135 Churchfields Drive
12 Moorlands Close
4 Jacks Close|**31/08/2025**
**Add/Disp**
**_31/08/2024_**
130,000
_130,000_
325,000
_325,000_
75,000
_75,000_
478,296
_478,296_| |---|---| ||1,008,296
_1,008,296_| |**14 Investment Property**
Dawlish
**15 Restricted Funds**
Corbyn Fund|**Fair Value**
**Fair Value**
**31/8/2024Revaluation**
**_Fair Value_**
**_31/8/2025_**
**31/08/2023**
325,000
346,750
0
_346,750_| |---|---| ||325,000
325,000
0
_346,750_| ||**As at**
**Interest**
**Funds**
**As at**
**31/08/2025**
**Allocated**
**Expended**
**31/08/2024**
14,910
599
0
14,311| ## **16 Payments to Trustees** All of the paid employees are also trustees. There are 3 Presbyters, 1 lay minister, 1 local Lay Pastor in training (part time), 1 lay pastoral assistant (part time), and 1 administrator (part time). The administrator's cost is shared with a Circuit Church. Some supernumerary Ministers and Local Preachers are trustees who receive fees and /or expenses for taking services in the Circuit. No trustee is paid for services rendered in the capacity of a trustee. Expenses payments made to trustees are to reimburse expenditure incurred on behalf of the circuit |Supernumerary fees
Travel
Other|**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
**Number**
**of**
**£**
**Trustees**
970
3
12,085
10
476
4
13,531|**2024**
**_2024_**| |---|---|---| |||**_Number_**
**_of_**| |||**£**
**_Trustees_**| |||1013.95
_4_| |||9,624
_8_| |||4,503
_4_| |||15,141| ## **17 Capital Commitments and Contingent Liabilities** |**17 Capital Commitments and Contingent Liabilities**|| |---|---| |At 31st August 2025 there are no capital commitments|(Nil)| |No contingent liabilities were identified at 31st August 2025|(Nil)| ## **18 Fees for Examination of Accounts** ||**2025**|**2024**| |---|---|---| |Examiners Fees|600|600| 14