Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain (Registered charity, number 1134526) Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023
Page Contents 2 - 7 Trustees’ annual report 9 Independent examiner’s report 10 Receipts & payments account 11 Statement of assets & liabilities 12-13 Notes to the accounts
Please note: All the documents referred to are available at: - - suffolkquakers.org.uk/area meeting documents
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Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31 December 2023
Full name Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain
Other names by which the charity is known Ipswich & Diss Area Meeting
Registered charity number 1134526
Principal address
Quaker Meeting House, St Johns Street, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1SJ.
Trustees
Elaine Green, Clerk Mary Pennock, Treasurer Martin Hayden Simon Lamb Frances Hopkins Robert Ashton Clive Bach, from 01/01/2024
Independent examiner
John O’Brien, employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL
Solicitor
Kerseys Solicitors, 32 Lloyds Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3HD
Holding Trustee of Property
Friends Trusts Limited, Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ
Principal Advisors
Rathbone Greenbank Investments 10 Queen Square Bristol BS1 4NT
Clark & Simpson Estate Agents, Well Close Square, Framlingham, Suffolk IP13 9DU
Governance and management
The charity is operated under the rules of its constitution adopted 17/05/2008, and most recently amended 14/05/2023.
Trustees are appointed for a period of three years by the Area Meeting following nomination by its Nominations Committee. All Trustees receive induction training.
Business meetings within the Society are conducted as ‘meetings for worship for church affairs’ in which there is no voting, the Clerk is a servant of the meeting and
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Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain
the minutes are agreed at each meeting. Membership of the Society of Friends is held within the Area Meeting.
Objectives and activities
The object of Ipswich & Diss Area Meeting is the furtherance of the general religious and charitable purposes of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain in the area of Ipswich & Diss Area Meeting and beyond. Its constituent parts include:
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Local Meetings at Bury St Edmunds, Diss, Felixstowe, Ipswich, Leiston and Woodbridge,
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Ipswich and Diss Area Meeting Property Charity, which is a mixture of endowment, restricted and designated funds which support the Area Meeting’s four Meeting Houses in Ipswich, Diss, Bury St. Edmunds and Leiston; Burial Grounds in Bredfield, Needham Market, Woodbridge, Diss, Bury St. Edmunds and Leiston; a private house in Diss which is rented out and a warden’s flat within Ipswich Meeting House.
It carries out the objectives of the Area Meeting or such other charitable purposes as the Area Meeting may direct and the trustees may think suitable: provided that the trustees allow persons who are not members of the Society to use the meeting houses and premises and the remains of persons who were not members of the Society to be buried in the burial grounds.
- Agnes Moss Bequest Trust, which is a restricted fund for the use of Diss Local Meeting and largely consists of 21 St Nicholas Street, Diss, IP22 4LB.
Diss Local Meeting and Area Meeting have directed that the trust is to be used: 1) by Area Meeting for administration of the trust and for property maintenance and repairs of 21 St Nicholas Street and
2) by Diss Local Meeting for general purposes and property maintenance and repairs of Diss Meeting House, its burial ground and the private house .
- Richard Waynforth Trust Charity , which is a mixture of endowment and restricted funds for the relief in need of members and attenders of Ipswich & Diss Area Meeting and, from 7 October 2014, members and attenders of Waveney & Norfolk Area Meeting and Southern East Anglia Area Meeting. (See Richard Waynforth Trust Guidelines).
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Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit
Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting performs the following activities in relation to its objectives:
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Holding Area Meetings, using the Quaker business method, at least once a year.
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Taking responsibility for membership of the Area Meeting and hence of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain and maintaining a register of the Area Meeting’s members and attenders.
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Ensuring that all Local Meetings report regularly on their activities and that Local Meeting treasurers and Local Meeting premises committees meet together at least annually.
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Appointing clerks, a treasurer, registering officers, a nominations committee, elders, and pastoral care team co-ordinators.
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Consolidating accounts of its constituent Local Meetings and linked charities.
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Maintaining links with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, also known as Britain Yearly Meeting, and Friends Trusts Ltd, which is the trust corporation for the Religious Society of Friends in Great Britain.
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Taking responsibility for the preservation of Area Meeting and Local Meeting records.
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Managing the charity's income and expenditure to meet the proper costs of administering the charity and managing its cash and non-cash assets in keeping with the charity’s ethical investment policy.
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Ensuring ongoing repairs and maintenance are carried out for the Meeting Houses, the wardens’ flat and the private house.
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Ensuring the Meeting Houses, the wardens’ flat and the private house comply with current Health and Safety Regulations, Fire Safety Regulations and other relevant government regulations.
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Ensuring compliance to safeguarding, equal opportunities and data protection legislation.
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Providing adequate Public Liability Insurance for the Local Meetings and Buildings and Contents Insurance coverage for the Meeting Houses and buildings insurance for the wardens’ house and flat.
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Commissioning quinquennial and tree surveys and carrying out the recommended actions for the Meeting Houses and their adjacent burial grounds.
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Inspecting the burial grounds at Bredfield, Needham Market and Woodbridge and taking remedial actions, where required.
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Ensuring compliance to employment regulations and monitoring employment matters, including pensions and the Living Wage, at Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Diss Meeting Houses.
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Overseeing all building renovations and new development undertaken at the Meeting Houses and the private house.
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Selling, leasing or disposing of all or any part of the charity's property that is not required to be retained to achieve its objectives.
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Co-operating with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities as required.
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Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain
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Making relief-in-need grants to provide or pay for goods, services and/or training for members and attenders of Ipswich & Diss Area Meeting, Waveney & Norfolk Area Meeting and Southern East Anglia Area Meeting.
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Arranging and holding of public Meetings for Worship, open to all, in its constituent Local Meetings in Bury St Edmunds, Diss, Felixstowe, Ipswich, Leiston and Woodbridge.
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Maintaining links with other churches and local faith groups to promote inter-faith understanding, peace, social justice and equality.
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Support of other local, national and international charities through special collections and fund-raising events.
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Chaplaincy support is provided locally to two prisons, a hospital and a university.
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● Our four Meeting Houses are available for lettings to community groups, other charities and businesses undertaking charitable activities. As well, 21 St Nicholas Street, Diss, is let to a collective of local craftspeople. This provides a public service by contributing to community cohesion and encouraging the growth of creative businesses.
Public benefit statement
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.
Summary of the main achievements during the period
In setting out our charitable achievements for public benefit as a local worshipping community within a national framework, we reflect the aims of Britain Yearly Meeting, the national body and those set out in our current book of discipline, “Quaker Faith & Practice”.
Our six local Meetings have met at least weekly for public worship since the beginning of this year, Felixstowe remain well settled in the Trimley Memorial Hall and Woodbridge in the Shire Hall. Our availability as a worshipping community, where all are welcome is evident from our Suffolk Quaker website
https://suffolkquakers.org.uk/ , articles in the local press and on local radio, a social media presence and in the case of Woodbridge a placard in the market square.
All our Local Meetings, in order to maintain their unity as one worshipping community, are finding a balance that suits them, between blended/hybrid Meetings for Worship, and simultaneous in-person and online Meetings, Woodbridge reading the same passage from Quaker Faith & Practice in both and meeting together online on the first Sunday of the month. Blended meetings have encouraged inclusivity and with an ageing demographic have enabled connection to the spiritual strength of those unable to come to Meetings for Worship in person. Ipswich now meet just on zoom on the second Sunday of the month
In addition, Ipswich and Bury hold mid-week Meetings for Worship in person, which often attracts visitors. Leiston has established an online mid-week Meeting for Worship as has Bury St Edmunds.
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While we are still aware of the effect of the pandemic upon our community, and drop in our overall numbers, Leiston Meting in particular has seen an increased activity and creative ways to encourage inclusivity and unity of our Local and Area Meetings have been fostered. Discussion topics have ranged from the ideas of the educationalist Parker J. Palmer to the Experiment with Light in Woodbridge, the Gospel of John in Leiston to some Question & Answer sessions about Quakerism in Bury. Monthly shared lunches after Meeting for Worship are often preceded by a talk and offer an opportunity for families to get to know each other and links are made by friends joining from other Local Meetings. An online poetry group in Woodbridge and social outings such as Felixstowe’s annual picnic and swim at the beach foster Friendship and fun!
As an Area Meeting as well as meeting for Quaker business, Diss Local Meeting hosted a “Hope as a Practice” day facilitated by “Woodbrooke Where You Are” Recognising the importance of nurturing our Spiritual lives we have budgeted funds for similar events in the future.
In the spring a Memorial Meeting was held in Leiston for a very long standing and active member of the Aldeburgh community and Felixstowe dedicated a moving meeting to memories of Friends in the meeting who have died. Woodbridge Friends and many others celebrated a joyful marriage “in the manner of Friends” in a member’s yurt this summer.
This year has seen the stabilising, post pandemic, of the hiring out of rooms in our Meeting Houses by the general public. While this makes increasing demands upon those who manage this, their value as places of safety, inclusivity and peace is well recognised within their communities, particularly in Ipswich & Bury St Edmunds. Collaborative work with other faith communities has continued. An ecumenical service “in the manner of Friends” was held through Leiston Churches Together. As well as being active in it’s local Churches Together Bury Meeting House is home to local Buddhist groups, Spiritualists and used weekly for Friday prayer to the Muslim community. In November, in response to the war in Palestine-Israel a vigil for peace was held by a Tree for Peace in Woodbridge, publicised widely including among other churches. It was attended by over 40 people.
As the effect of climate change becomes more evident in the world our efforts to raise awareness continue. Bury St Edmunds has maintained its monthly public “Silent Witness to Social Justice in the face of the Climate Emergency” with an increasing number of members of the general public and local ecological groups joining us. At an area level a group has been set up to raise understanding, awareness and support in this challenging field.
Other involvement in events to uphold our testimonies have included, the laying of a white poppy wreath on Remembrance Day in Ipswich, Bury and Woodbridge and representation at the CND protest against the return of American nuclear weapons to RAF Lakenheath.
Throughout the year Quakers in Ipswich & Diss Area Meeting have made donations to 26 other charities. (See below section 5 “Acting as Agent collections”)
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Sustainability and Environmental achievements during the period
Friends remain committed to seeking change, though this is a very complex process, particularly in historic Meeting Houses as they balance the usage of the building with efficiency and cost and the fitting of solar panels with planning restrictions.
To encourage local meetings with Meeting Houses the Area Meeting Trustees now support the funding of a professional sustainability survey as well as, where appropriate, give funding priority to applications which “green” our properties and move them away from fossil fuels.
In the meantime double glazing of windows has taken place in Ipswich & is under consideration in Bury. In smaller meetings such as Diss fuel bills are regularly monitored and energy consumption has been significantly improved by worshiping in a smaller room during winter and spring.
For individuals, the increased use of technology for Meetings for Worship and discussion groups continues to reduce our carbon footprint.
Financial review
Financial position at the end of the reporting period
Despite the fall in membership this year Ipswich & Diss Area Meeting remains overall in a good financial position. The performance of endowed investments held with Rathbone Greenbank has recovered and gains of £2,940 in the Property Charity and £56,653 in the Richard Waynforth Trust were made. A total of £8,362 in investment management costs were incurred.
£5,000 in rent from 21 St Nicholas Steet in Diss and £194 in interest was added to the restricted Agnes Moss Bequest Fund which is used to cover the maintenance costs of that property as well as Diss Meeting House.
£965 in interest and £6,527 in dividends was earned on Meeting House Maintenace Funds held on deposit. £20,000 was withdrawn from the capital investment account to cover planned maintenance costs at Leiston Meeting House. Bury Meeting also contributed £25,000 from a legacy to the Fund putting it in a strong position to cover future maintenance costs of Leiston and Ipswich Meeting Houses. The latter undergoing a Quinquennial inspection in 2024. The annual insurance premium for all four Meeting Houses was paid from the fund. A VAT refund on qualify building work has also been received.
The Bury St Edmunds Meeting House Fund benefitted from £1,475 in interest and £980 in gains on investments. Bury LM also transferred £25,000 from a legacy to the fund. The Fund is in a good position to meet any repairs arising from forthcoming Quinquennial and Electrical installation inspections.
The Richard Waynforth Trust was boosted by £17,736 in dividends and interest. This year grants totalling £6,871 were awarded.
Once again Local Meetings were asked to contribute £50 per member to Area Meeting Funds. Three meetings met this in full from their own funds whilst the others topped up Friends’ contributions made under scheduled giving. £5,000 of the 2022 surplus was designated to a new Spiritual Fund. A further £5,000 was earmarked to
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be transferred to the Meeting House Maintenance Fund. This will be completed in 2024. A total of £6,450 was refunded by HMRC under the Gift Aid scheme. This was then apportioned to each Local Meeting.
Website costs, the Trustees’ Zoom account and the Quickbooks accounting software licence were all paid for from AM funds. As was £1,200 in accountancy fees. A total of £754 was spent on courses and conferences which included Trustee, Prison Chaplaincy, Gift Aid, Safeguarding and Nominations training as well as a Treasurers’ conference and our Quaker Life representatives expenses. The ‘Woodbrooke Where You Are’ day was paid for from the Spiritual Fund and a contribution of £50 was made towards the costs of running the Climate Quest gathering.
AM continues to subscribe to the Customer Union of Ethical Banking, the safeguarding organisation 31.8 and Churches Together. The printing costs of the list of members and attenders and the AM newsletter were also met from AM funds. Area Meeting employee salaries, pension and training totalled £4,345 Despite increases in staffing and energy costs Local Meeting finances are in a healthy state and all were able to meet commitments as they arose. Income from lettings has recovered from the impact of covid restrictions. 3 LMs pay a levy for bookkeeping services which are subsidised by Area Meeting.
In total Friends gave £27,888 to Britain Yearly Meeting. This is an average of £169 per member (165) and falls somewhat short of the £240 suggested by BYM. Financial management, monitoring and reporting has been simplified with the introduction this year of Quickbooks accounting software. Two online meetings brought LM treasurers and the Treasurer’s Team together to share information and best practice. Local Meetings are asked to produce a budget for the year and reserves are monitored by the Treasurer’s Team
Reserves Policy
We ask each of our constituent Local Meetings and funds to hold reserves of 6 months expenditure without income. Their positions are checked annually and the policy is reviewed triennially.
Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain
The Trustees holding responsibility for Area Meeting properties, three of which are listed places of worship, are hoping to build up the Meeting Houses Reserves Fund. This policy is also reviewed triennially.
Financial Risks
While income from the lettings of our Meeting Houses to the public has recovered, post pandemic, the maintenance and management of our properties is placing a strain upon Friends.
Trustees following their biannual meeting with representatives from Rathbones to review our investments were surveyed on their attitude to financial risk. As a result of a change in Charity Law we have asked Rathbone to investigate the option to make social investments. This involves a slightly higher risk and poorer return on 5% of
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our Richard Waynforth Trust investment portfolio but does mean that we would be supporting smaller social enterprises as an expression of our Quaker values. A broader review of the sectors that we invest in is also underway.
We have a comprehensive set of policies and practice documents which are regularly reviewed and adherence to them monitored.
On behalf of the charity’s trustees:
(signed )
Frances Hopkins Clerk to the Trustees Date – 2[nd] July 2024
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain for the year ended 31 December 2023
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain (the charity) for the year ended 31 December 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the 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 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 matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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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.
(signed)
John O’Brien MSc, FCCA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus Date 16[th] July 2024
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Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain Receipts & payments account for the year ended 31 December 2023
| 2022 Total Funds £ Receipts Note 21 Events, fundraising & sales 59343 Hire of rooms and rent received 381 Other donations 34048 Contributions 4414 Gift aid 31341 Legacies 1899 Sundry receipts 21013 Dividends 2633 Other investment income 14976 Acting as agent receipts 4 110324 Total receipts Payments 3373 Administrative and other costs 900 Independent Examination - Legal costs 927 Investment costs - Catering 530 Conference costs 416 Grants to individuals 1740 Inreach , learning & library - Outreach 11476 Payments to non Quaker bodies 11476 Payments to other Quaker bodies - Publications & subscriptions 5306 Room hire costs - Care-taking & cleaning 19968 Utilities 9111 Property repairs & maintenance 11734 Building improvements 4847 Equipment - Insurance 110 Travel & subsistence 34899 Staff costs 14656 Acting as agent payments 4 131469 Total payments 50076 Net receipts/(payments) 411616 Cash funds at start of this period 461692 Cash funds at end of this period |
Unrestricted Funds £ 818 59274 1392 25138 6450 - 2 6527 26306 - 125907 2440 1200 - 927 324 819 100 192 2007 25260 40165 1432 2190 4377 17557 12886 19604 833 4704 - 37621 - 174638 (48731) 371476 322745 |
Restricted Funds £ - 5000 - - - - - 17287 3600 16218 42105 8 - 100 3277 - - 6871 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15999 26255 15850 90216 106066 |
2023 Total Funds £ 818 64274 1392 25138 6450 - 2 23814 29906 16218 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 168012 | |||
| 2448 1200 100 4204 324 819 6971 192 2007 25260 40165 1432 2190 4377 17557 12886 19604 833 4704 - 37621 15999 |
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| 200893 | |||
| (32881) 461692 |
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| 428811 |
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Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2023
| 2022 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | Cash assets | £ | |
| 461692 | Bank accounts | 428811 | |
| 461692 | 428811 | ||
| Investments (Note 3) | |||
| CCLA Unit funds | |||
| 45132 | T Merriman 10121 units | 51374 | |
| 79584 | Recoupment 13/11/87 17856 units | 90633 | |
| 28377 | Recoupment 11/08/86 6358 units | 32273 | |
| 153093 | 174280 | ||
| 1004712 | Rathbones portfolio | 1036978 | |
| 1157805 | 1211258 | ||
| Investment property | |||
| Shop premises at 21 St Nicholas Street, Diss, | |||
| 235000 | held within the Agnes Moss Endowment Fund | 235000 | |
| Liabilities | |||
| (505) | Acting as agent (collected but not paid at year end) | (443) | |
| (167) | Pensions | - | |
| (1200) | Accountancy | (1800) | |
| (1872) | (2243) | ||
| Property | |||
| In addition the charity holds six burial grounds and functional | property | ||
| with insured values as follows: | |||
| Bury St Edmunds meeting house | 1710000 | ||
| Diss meeting house and private house | 860287 | ||
| Ipswich meeting house and warden's flat | 1472688 | ||
| Leiston meeting house | 738464 |
These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:
(signed)
Mary Pennock, Treasurer Date- 2[nd] July 2024
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Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023
1. Receipts & payments accounts
- Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.
2. Cash Funds summary
| Unrestricted funds Area General fund Bury St Edmunds LM Diss LM Felixtowe LM Ipswich LM Leiston LM Woodbridge LM Bury SE MH Maintenance fund Area MH Maintenance fund Restricted funds Agness Moss Bequest Richard Waynforth fund Acting as Agent (BYM) Acting as Agent (Other) Total cash funds |
Opening balance £ 16874 143581 12412 4632 54941 48213 3834 48761 38228 371476 21144 69072 - - 90216 461692 |
Receipts £ 2191 39382 14443 3541 25952 8422 2817 1475 27684 125907 8151 17736 11786 4432 42105 168012 |
(Payments) £ (8206) (102014) (11056) (2294) (27663) (5604) (2755) (5) (15041) (174638) (3382) (6874) (11786) (4213) (26255) (200893) |
Transfers £ 7750 (52200) (800) (850) (1650) (1150) (1100) 25000 25000 - - - - - - - |
Closing balance £ 18609 28749 14999 5029 51580 49881 2796 75231 75871 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 322745 | |||||
| 25913 79934 - 219 |
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| 106066 | |||||
| 428811 |
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The transfers from the Local Meeting funds to the Area fund are primarily in respect of contributions to the Area Meeting that have been collected locally. The BSE LM also transferred £25K to the two building maintenance funds.
Ipswich & Diss Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain
3. Investment funds summary
| CCLA Property Charity (TM) Rathbones investments BSE MH Maintenence fund Area MH Maintenance fund Property Charity Endowment Richard Waynforth fund Richard Waynforth Endowmnent Total investments |
Opening value £ 153093 153093 50072 50072 150215 58060 696293 1004712 1157805 |
Additions, disposals & charges £ 1033 1033 (462) (20462) (1386) - (6976) (29286) (28253) |
Gain/Loss £ 20154 20154 980 980 2939 - 56653 61552 81706 |
Closing value £ 174280 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 174280 | ||||
| 50590 30590 151768 58060 745970 |
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| 1036978 | ||||
| 1211258 |
Note the Property Charity (TM) is the Thomas Merriman Endowment and Recoupment Fund
4. Acting as Agent collections paid out
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| £ BYM 11786 ICENI QPSW 113 Red Cross Bolivia Link 443 Unicef Emmaus 338 Suffolk Refugee Support QCEA 253 Freedom from Torture Waveney Foodbank 460 Lighthouse CAB 402 Quakers in Congo Others 451 Forgiveness Project Medicin son Frontieres 645 CPAG Earthquake appeal 124 Wandsworth Prison Trust Ramallah appeal 104 Greenpeace Self reliance 65 Suffolk Community Foundation Music in our Bones 63 Homestart |
£ 76 66 100 35 30 65 45 55 85 30 95 40 30 |
|---|---|
| 15999 |
5. Trustees’ remuneration
Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.
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