## **Registered Charity 1135776**
## **Trustees Annual Report 2024/25**
The church continued to offer a regular pattern of worship, led by a mixture of ordained and lay leaders. The main Sunday worship continues to be a hybrid worship service (on-line and in-person). This is supplemented by a shorter act of online worship on a weekday evening, a monthly evening service using material from the Taize community. We are grateful for the musical, creative and technical gifts of all those who support this core activity of the church. Lay-led house study groups have also continued throughout this year, forming part of our wider mission of learning.
In line with our Mission statement we have held ‘Knitalongs’ where through Lent and Advent people sign up to follow a daily pattern and receive a daily reflection related to the liturgical season. Well over one thousand people have participated during this year and very positive feedback has been received. In September 2024 we hosted an exhibition entitled “Threads through Revelation” which displayed Jacqui Parkinson’s nationally acclaimed textile hangings. This was complemented by an evening of reflections and music on the theme and for the six week period the theme was explored in Sunday worship. Over 2000 visits were made to the exhibition. A range of University Music concerts used the premises throughout the year and we have continued to share space with the Art School next door, both of which complemented our own contributions to exploring spirituality through the creative arts.
The work of the church Eco Champions group has continued on further reducing our carbon footprint, following up on the previous Energy Audit; we have continued to look at the practicalities of installing solar panels on church roof. Our engagement with our local community around eco initiatives has included organising an art competition for local schools on the theme “Colours of nature – Embracing Diversity” Five primary and two secondary schools participated and the there was an awards event where the artwork was displayed with 140 people present.
Our commitment to a range of ministries addressing issues of poverty and social inclusion continued, working with other local Methodist churches and our neighbouring ecumenical partners. Bristol Street Pastors are based in our premises and we have provided two members for their oversight group. ‘Calm, Create, Community’ provided an ongoing opportunity each week for a quiet and reflective space based in the church premises. A weekly group for people with mental health difficulties provides valuable support.
## **THE METHODIST CHURCH**
## **STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS**
## **Victoria Methodist Church**
FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31 August 2025
**Registered Charity - Charity Registration number**
**Circuit Circuit no. 0702** 1135776
## If not a registered charity **His Majesty's Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number**
(The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charity number in terms of evidence of charitable status and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisation's charitable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered charities are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242)
## Minister:
Rev Patrick Stonehewer
||Rev Patrick Stonehewer|
|---|---|
||Church Stewards:|
|John Barnett|Tim Melling|
|Kevin Cornelius|Joy Morison|
|Janet George|David Pleasants|
|Helen Harrison|Jane Stacey|
|Gemma Keeley||
|Hugh-Lloyd Jones||
Treasurer: Onkhopotse Moeng CA (SA)
**Victoria Methodist Church**
## **Church No 07/02**
## **Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the year ended 31 August 2025**
|**Notes to**
**the**
**accounts**
**Income**
1 Offerings
4
2 Donations
5
3 Tax reclaims
6
4 Interest and investment income
7
5 Income from residential properties
6 Internal organisations
7 Other income
7
8**Total income**
**Expenditure**
9 Circuit assessment or share
8
10 Grants and donations
12|**General Fund**
**(Unrestricted)**
**Designated**
**Funds**
**(unrestricted)**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Endowment**
**Funds**
**FY25**
**FY24**
£
£
£
£
£
44,751
-
-
-
**44,751**
**41,085**
13,875
240,279
-
-
**254,154**
**86,318**
29,789
-
-
-
**29,789**
**37,144**
15,623
-
-
-
**15,623**
**14,821**
39,572
-
-
-
**39,572**
**36,346**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**-**
40,534
-
-
-
**40,534**
**11,986**
**184,143**
**240,279**
**-**
**-**
**424,422**
**227,701**
70,056
-
-
-
**70,056**
**65,280**
290
-
-
-
**290**
**51,652**
21,162
18,999
-
-
**40,161**
**47,736**
26,112
-
-
-
**26,112**
**27,688**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**-**
17,101
-
-
-
**17,101**
**16,522**
14,588
-
-
-
**14,588**
**16,468**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**149,309**
**18,999**
**-**
**-**
**168,308**
**225,346**
-
**-**
**-**
-
**-**
**-**
**34,835**
**221,280**
**-**
**-**
**256,114**
**2,354**
-
-
-
-
**-**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**-**
**34,835**
**221,280**
**-**
**-**
**256,114**
**2,354**
398,285
-
-
-
**398,285**
**395,930**
**433,119**
**221,280**
**-**
**-**
**654,399**
**398,284**|
|---|---|
|11 Property maintenance
9
12 Insurance, utilities etc
10||
|13 Depreciation||
|14 Office expenses
11||
|15 Other expenditure
12
16 Internal organisations
17**Total charitable expenditure**
18 Gains/(losses) on monetary investments
19 Gains/(losses) on investment properties
20**Net income/(expenditure)**
21 Transfers between funds
22 Other gains/(losses)||
|23**Net movement in funds**
16||
|24 Total funds brought forward
16
**25 Total funds carried forward**
16||
## **Victoria Methodist Church**
## **Church No 07/02**
## **Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2025**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
General Fund Restricted Funds Totals 2025 Totals 2024
(Unrestricted)
Notes to the
Accounts £ £ £ £
Fixed Assets
- - - -
Total fixed assets
Current Assets
Debtors and prepayments 14 - - - -
- - - -
Loans by the Churches
Investments with TMCP 13 73,313 - 73,313 70,330
Central Finance Board Deposits 13 404,023 - 404,023 296,006
Cash at Bank and in hand 13 178,020 - 178,020 31,949
Total current assets 655,356 - 655,356 398,285
Current liabilities
Creditors (due in under 1 year) 15 - - - -
Total current liabilities - - - -
Net current assets/liabilities 655,356 - 655,356 398,285
Total assets less current liabilities 655,356 - 655,356 398,285
Long term liabilities
(due after more than one year)
- -
Net assets 655,356 - 655,356 398,285
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Funds of the Church
General Fund (Unrestricted) 16 655,356 655,356 398,285
Designated Funds (Unrestricted) - - -
Total Unrestricted Funds - - 655,356 398,285
Total Funds 655,356 - 655,356 398,285
**----- End of picture text -----**
Signed
Church Treasurer
## **Notes to the Accounts**
## 1 **Basis of Accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with SORP(FRS102) as updated, being the current version of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice, and the Charities Act 2011.
## 2 **Funds**
The funds held constitute: General Funds held for any purpose of the Church which are unrestricted. Restricted funds are held for a narrower purpose including those for internal organisations. There are no Endowment funds. Details of each material fund are disclosed in note 16. Any funds may be represented by cash and cash equivalents.
## 3 **Accounting Policies**
## **Basis of Preparation**
Other than Investments which are shown at their market value at the end of the year, these accounts have been prepared on the accruals basis applying the historical cost.
The Trustees have considered the current economic conditions and have determined that they do not create a material uncertainty that casts significant doubt upon the church's ability to continue as a going concern.
The accounts present a true and fair view of the financial position and activities of the church during the year. The accounting policies adopted are outlined below.
## **Income**
Income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the Church 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.
## **Expenditure**
Expenses are recognised when 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 Church to pay out resources.
## **VAT**
Since the Church is not VAT registered, all input VAT is charged with the expenses to which it refers.
## **Investments**
Investments are valued in the balance sheet at market value at the year end. Investment income is included in the accounts when receivable and any gains or losses on revaluation at the year end are shown in the SOFA.
## **Residential Property Income**
The Church's residential property is partly let to various community groups, schools and other social organisations to generate rental income.
## **Changes in Accounting Policy**
The prior period accounts were prepared under the Cash basis as the income of the church was below the threshold as stipulated by the Charities Commission.
The Church's gross income exceeded the £250,000 threshold stipulated by the Charities Commission, as such the accounts were prepared by applying the accrual basis of accounting. The income and expenses of the church in its normal course mostly align to the receipts and payments, therefore result of this change has had no material impact on both the current and prior period figures.
## **Accounting Estimates**
The church does not make use of accounting estimates.
## **Material Prior Period Errors**
No material prior year errors have been identified in the reporting period.
|**4. Offerings**
Direct Debit
Envelope
Cash
**5. Donations**
General
Redevelopment
Legacies
**6. Tax Reclaims**
Gift Aid
DCMS||**Unrestricted**
44,487
-
264
**44,751**
**Unrestricted**
13,375
240,279
500
**254,154**
**Unrestricted**
29,789
-
**29,789**|**Restricted**
-
-
-
**-**
**Restricted**
-
-
-
**-**
**Restricted**
-
-
**-**|**Total FY25**
44,487
-
264
**44,751**
**Total FY25**
13,375
240,279
500
**254,154**
**Total FY25**
29,789
-
**29,789**|**Total FY24**
40,980
-
105
**41,085**
**Total FY24**
12,358
72,960
1,000
**86,318**
**Total FY24**
37,144
-
**37,144**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**7. Other Income**
Outreach
Ministers Pension Refund
Revelations
Benevolence
Sundry Income
Interest Income||**Unrestricted**
510
25,781
7,872
1,215
5,156
15,623
**56,157**|**Restricted**
-
-
-
-
-
-
**-**|**Total FY25**
510
25,781
7,872
1,215
5,156
15,623
**56,157**|**Total FY24**
2,090
-
-
309
9,587
14,821
**26,807**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**8. Church Circuit Assessment**
**9. Property Maintenance**
Redevelopment||**Unrestricted**
70,056
**70,056**
**Unrestricted**
18,999
21,162
**40,161**
**Unrestricted**
7,931
18,181
**26,112**
**Unrestricted**
17,101
**17,101**
**Unrestricted**
2,296
4,106
8,186
290
**14,878**
**Unrestricted**
73,313
147,134
30,887
404,023
**655,356**
**Unrestricted**
-
**-**
**Unrestricted**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**Unrestricted**
141,902
513,454
-
-
**655,356**|**Restricted**
-
**-**
**Restricted**
**-**
**Restricted**
**-**
**Restricted**
-
**-**
**Restricted**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**Restricted**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**Restricted**
-
**-**
**Restricted**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**Restricted**
-
-
-
-
**-**|**Total FY25**
70,056
**70,056**
**Total FY25**
18,999
21,162
**40,161**
**Total FY25**
7,931
18,181
**26,112**
**Total FY25**
17,101
**17,101**
**Total FY25**
2,296
4,106
8,186
290
**14,878**
**Total FY25**
73,313
147,134
30,887
404,023
**655,356**
**Total FY25**
-
**-**
**Total FY25**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**Total FY25**
141,902
513,454
-
-
**655,356**|**Total FY24**
65,280
**65,280**
**Total FY24**
36,739
10,997
**47,736**
**Total FY24**
7,699
19,989
**27,688**
**Total FY24**
16,522
**16,522**
**Total FY24**
2,653
9,172
4,643
51,652
**68,120**
**Total FY24**
70,330
26,657
5,292
296,006
**398,285**
**Total FY24**
-
**-**
**Total FY24**
-
-
-
**-**
**Total FY24**
106,110
289,959
2,215
-
**398,285**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Repairs and Maintenance||||||
|**10. Insurance and Utilities**
Insurance
Utilities
**11. Office Expenses**||||||
|Cleaning||||||
|**12. Other Expenses**
Organist and Choir Leader
Sundry Expenses
Outreach
Grants
**13. Current Assets**
Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes
Current Account held with Cooperative Bank
Current Account held with Santander Bank
Central Finance Board of Methodist Church
**14. Debtors and Prepayments**
N/A
**15. Creditors**||||||
|Repairs and maintenance
Cleaning||||||
|Sundry expenses
Utilities||||||
|||||||
|**16. Funds**
General
Redevelopment
Etheridge
Endowment||||||
Name of Church :Victoria Methodist Church……………… No:07/02………..
## **Declarations and Scrutiny**
I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2025 have been prepared from the records of the Church and that they include all funds under the control of the Church trustees.
Signature of treasurer ……………………………………………………… Date……………………..
Name and address of treasurer: Onkhopotse Moeng CA (SA) ………………………………….
29 Clark Drive, Yate…………………………………………… Post Code: BS37 7EH………
## **Presentation to the Church trustees**
I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 were presented to the meeting of the Church trustees held on …………….. 26 March 2026
Signature of the Chair of the meeting ……………………………………………………………………
30 March 2026 Name of the Chair of the meeting: Rev Patrick Stonehewer ……………………… Date ……………………
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the**
## **Victoria Methodist Church**
## **Charity Number: 1135776…………**
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Victoria Methodis Church for the year ended 31 August 2025 set out on pages 1 to 3. As the Church’s 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 Church’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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.
Name of Church: Victoria Methodist Church ……………………………………… No: 07/02 ….
## **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 which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting 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.
I have obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date.
Signature of independent examiner ………………………………………………………………….
Name of independent examiner: Elorm Numadzi CA (Gh)……………………………………….
Relevant professional qualification of independent examiner : CA (Gh) ………………………………………
Name of firm (where appropriate): N/A ………………………………………………………………………
Address: 33 Montgomery Avenue, Wellesley, Aldershot ……………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………….. Post Code: GU11 4DG ………………
Date ……03 April 202 6 ……………