## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 1st September 2023 Period start date To 31[st] August 2024 Period end date** **Charity name: Nantwich with Broad Lane Methodist Church** ## **Charity registration number: 1170226** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||| |---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|We are a local Methodist Church, primarily a worshipping
and praying fellowship of Christians. Our mission statement
is to “Show Christ to Others”.
We meet for a weekly act of worship at 2 church buildings in
Nantwich in Hospital Street and Broad Lane.
Our worship is advertised and all are welcome to attend.
Additional services are held at Easter and Christmas and
occasional all age worship.
We seek to provide opportunity for prayer, Bible study and
fellowship through various activities at church. All groups
are advertised with an open invitation to attend.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or services
identified in the accounts.|We provide a number of regular activities to support both
members of the church and people in need within the
community. We also make the building available for
community use.
Regular activities include:
**Drop’n’Shop**
This provides activities for primary school aged children on
a Saturday morning, allowing parents free time to shop.
This meets once per month.
**Friendship Group**
This is a monthly group to support socially isolated people.
People meet for chat, games, craft activities and occasional
speakers on relevant topics.
**Noah’s Ark**
This is a weekly group aimed at very young children and
their parents and carers. The aim is to introduce children to
the teachings of Jesus through story, song and craft
alongside time for free play.
**Thursday Lunches**
Monthly lunches provide a further opportunity for fellowship
and social interaction and are very popular.
**Coffee Club**
A weekly coffee club is held at Broad Lane to combat social
isolation.
**Train Rides**
Free rides are offered every Saturday morning on the
miniature railway running alongside the church. This| 1 ||provides opportunity to engage with people and for
fundraising. Donations received are split between four
children’s charities.
A special “Santa train” operated in December with
opportunity to meet Father Christmas..
**Brownies**
Brownies meet at the church on a weekly basis and take
part in occasional all-age worship on a Sunday morning.
**Ecumenical outreach activities**
Members of the church have continued to support mentoring
of pupils at Brine Leas and Malbank High Schools
Assemblies have been led at Acton and Worleston primary
schools.
Churches Together provided a presence at the Nantwich
Show, undertaking a litter pick as a means of engaging with
people and also provided a baby change facility.
A Christmas Day lunch was held for people who would
otherwise be on their own. Transport was provided if
required, a traditional Christmas meal and entertainment.
**Use of premises by external organisations**
The premises are used on a regular basis by a
Bereavement group. We have received a grant from
Cheshire East to make rooms available free of charge for
community groups such as this.
The building is also offered for hire to external organisations
and is being used by:

Nantwich Choral Society

Baby Time,

U3A

Nantwich Historical Society

Nantwich Model Engineers Club

Nantwich Youth Theatre

Roses (cancer) Group

Conexus (youth mentoring)| |---|---| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty
in Section 17 of the Charities Act having due regard to
public benefit as per guidance published by the Charity
Commission.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:| |---|---| ||| |Policy on grant making|We do not make grants. We make occasional collections
and donations for specific purposes such as emergency
disaster relief| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|N/A| |Contribution made by
volunteers|All activities are highly dependent on volunteers, mostly
from church members but with some support for
Drop’n’Shop, and the train from community volunteers.
Noah’s Ark is supported by a lay worker employed by the
Circuit.
We are dependent on a small number of dedicated| |2|| volunteers who make an enormous contribution to the running of the church activities. The volunteers are predominantly older people who undertake as many of the tasks as they are able to.. ## **Achievements and Performance** |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|**Sunday Worship**
We have introduced a crèche to meet the need of 2 families
with children with special needs who have joined the church.
This enables the parents to attend the service. We have
also provided age appropriate activities for an older child in
the family.
We have been pleased to include the Brownies in taking
part in all age worship. They have prepared presentations
and have assisted with special services such as harvest and
a gift service at the start of advent.
We have also welcomed the “Young Voices” choir to
participate in special events.
A “remembering “service was again held before Christmas
for people who have been bereaved.
We have continued to host the “Open Table” communion
service monthly on a Sunday evening. This is run by, and
for, LGBTQIA+ people, their friends and families. This has
been well attended with people enjoying a simple meal
together before the service.
The church is registered with the Inclusive Church Network.
We welcome people of any faith, colour or background, and
of every gender identity and sexual orientation.
**Activities**
All regular activities have continued throughout the year.
Outreach is provided to young families through Noah’s Ark
and Drop’n’Shop and to older, socially isolated people
through the Friendship Group and lunches. The group is
open to people with dementia and we are a “dementia
friendly”church.| |---|---| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Achievements against
objectives set|
**Performance against 2023-24 Objectives**
**Appointment of a lay worker to support the activities of**
**a group of churches within the circuit working together**
**as a “hub”.**
The South Cheshire Methodist Circuit has agreed the
appointment of a community development worker for the
Nantwich Whitchurch and Rural hub. It is hoped that the
post will be filled in 2024-25.
**To enhance the offer of Drop’n’Shop to support**
**neurodiverse children.**
A grant application to a charitable trust was made for
equipment and staffing costs to support this development.
Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful. Alternative grants are
being pursued.
**To extend Drop’n’Shop to weekly rather than monthly**
**meetings.**
This has not been possible due to the lack of sufficient| |---|---| 3 ||volunteers and the failure of the funding application as
above.
**To support the development of a Street Angels scheme**
**in Nantwich by offering the premises as a base.**
The church is providing the base for the Street Angels
scheme which commenced in December 2023 operating
weekly on Saturday nights.
**To work with Churches Together to publish a leaflet**
**publicising church services and activities to distribute**
**to the new housing developments.**
The leaflet was completed and published and is now
available for use.
**To develop the use of the church building as a**
**community centre.**
Research was undertaken about the best way to proceed,
including visiting a church in Biddulph where this approach
had been successful. Advice was obtained from the District
Projects Officer. This resulted in a proposal to appoint a
Centre Development Manager. Funding for the post has
been obtained from the Circuit and a job description agreed
for recruitment to proceed in 2024-25
**School outreach – to support a mentorship scheme at**
**Malbank School.**
This has been implemented with volunteer mentors
supporting several pupils.
**To offer the “Easter Hope” interactive event to 3 local**
**primary schools.**
Three events took place in March 2024 with pupils from
Highfields and Acton primary schools attending the church
and volunteers delivering the event at Worleston primary
school.| |---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Despite falling membership and attendance, income from
donations is broadly in line with the previous year. Income
from lunches and coffee mornings has increased as we
have been able to offer more events.| |Investment performance
against objectives|N/A| |Other|**Objectives for 2024-25**

Appointment of a Centre Development Manager to
develop the use of the church building as a
community centre.

To enhance the offer of Drop’n’Shop to support
neurodiverse children. This would be dependent on
a successful grant application to a charitable trust.

To extend Drop’n’Shop to weekly rather than
monthly meetings.

To offer “Easter Hope” interactive events to 3
primary schools

To develop as an “Eco-Church”. Grant applications
will be made for the purchase of storage batteries for
the energy generated by the solar panels which are
already fitted.| 4 ## **Financial Review** |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Accounts attached.
The financial forecast for 2023/4 was a break even position.
Income from donations and fund raising has been
maintained. Income from room lettings has increased.
Expenditure has increased but has been carefully managed
and the overall position was a financial surplus of almost
£12,000.| |---|---| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|We have a small reserves account with the Methodist
Central Finance Board for contingencies| |Amount of reserves held|A deposit of £21,039 is held as at 31.08.2024| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|N/A| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|N/A| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|At present there are no uncertainties about the charity
continuing as a going concern.| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|The main source of income is regular giving on a weekly
basis by members of the congregation. Gift Aid is claimed
as appropriate. This is supplemented by various fundraising
activities.
In addition, income is received from hire of the premises and
leasing car parking spaces.
We also received a grant from Cheshire East Council to be
a Connected Communities Centre, offering free use of the
premises to voluntary groups.| |---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|N/A| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|As the congregation continues to age, the risk of declining
membership is a reality. There is also the challenge from
rising costs and the potential need for expenditure to
replace equipment such as the boilers.| 5 ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:|| |---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Nantwich with Broad Lane Methodist Church is part of the
‘Methodist Church of Great Britain’ whose status as a charity
has historically been derived from the Deed of Union 1932
and the Methodist Church Act 1976. We are connected to
Cheshire South Methodist Circuit which itself is part of the
Chester & Stoke-on-Trent Methodist District.
We operate in the administrative unitary authority area of
Cheshire East.
Our constitutional practices can be found in
www.methodist.org/ministers-and-office-holders/cpd| |How is the charity
constituted?
(|As a Methodist Society we are accountable to Circuit, District
and Connexion and are required to comply with regulations
laid down in the Constitution, Practice and Discipline of the
Methodist Church, which is updated annually. As a Society
we make decisions at Church Council meetings of which we
are required to hold at least two per year and more as and
when required by the local situations. Voting members of
Church Council must be members of The Methodist Church
of Great Britain and trustees of Nantwich with Broad Lane
Methodist Church. The Church Council is supported by a
number of sub-committees responsible for such things as
finance, property, stewards, pastoral care.| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Church Council members are the Trustees. The Chair is the
minister who is employed by the Methodist Church at national
level and stationed at the invitation of the local Circuit.
The Council is made up of:

Church stewards

Treasurer

Property Steward

Pastoral Secretary

Church Council Secretary

Representatives of the congregation.
The appointments are made at the Church General Meeting
and confirmed annually. The appointments should be for no
longer than 6 years but this can be extended by agreement if
there are no alternative volunteers.| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charityname|Nantwich with Broad Lane Methodist Church| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|| |Registered charity number|1170226| |Charity’s principal address|Nantwich with Broad Lane Methodist Church
c/o The Church Office
Hospital Street
Nantwich CW5 5RP.| 6 **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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18|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Rev. Robin Fox|Chair||| ||Sheila Crosbie|Secretary||| ||Yvonne Alcock|Treasurer||| ||John Walkington|PropertySteward||| ||Margaret Kirkman|Pastoral Secretary||| ||Elizabeth Grundy|Senior Steward||| ||Marcus Appleby|Church Steward||| ||John Coulter|Church Steward||| ||Edward George|Church Steward||| ||David Maidment|Church Steward||| ||Eileen Robertson|Church Steward||| ||Patricia Maidment|Circuit Steward||| ||Erik Kirkman|Associated
Presbyter||| ||Jaqueline Holland|||| ||Denise Lawson|||| ||Joyce Platt|||| ||Anne Robinson|||| ||Doreen Thomas|||| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** 7 ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details N/A ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** Sheila Crosie **Signature(s)** Robin Fox Sheila Crosbie **Full name(s)** Rev Robin Fox **Position (eg Secretary,** Chair **Chair, etc)** **Date** 24.02.25 8 NA14TWICH HÉTIIODIST CHURCH {with Broad L*ne} Choflty Number. 1170226 Rw4pt8 Payrnètrts xtoiiirtforth•yw•ndod 31stAugvrt2024 202J 12024 p￿1 GENEIiAL FUNDS- RECELPTS 202Z 12023 £ 6.186.17 E 1 511.IXI E18.1ts8.96 £10.￿.72 E 26.154.84 c￿*t￿￿$ rash R￿Ular&WrO 6222. 5.740.(K) 16.012.(N) 7fft5794 ¥OJIVJ $78.75 In*rest (Bank &CFBI 9.394.K) Rootn Hlre Car Patk Fee5 catenr￿ 91499) 6A15.97 5.480 87 8.945.OJ £ 4.464. E 9.313.88 140.TrJ £ 1.267. E 3250.CQ IpJ).Tr) £ 1.99529 3.S20 rK) 1650J 1.409.95 27A7&29 2D.611.13 GENEPAL FVflDSTOTAL RECEIPTS 74961A6 GEIIEPAL FUNDS- PAYMEMTS CIKcuitAHeS3m￿r orsha As8Éssmert 32250. WI4E3 ow*￿n5. Donauw5-IMlw Fu e l.Wi728 £ 1,854.45 £ R￿pa￿s & klan*en¥ costs 2611.19 471565 3.781.73 7.32U4 £ 3.497 76 £11.T27.92 £ £ 1.334. £ 33871 £ 1.3J).07 In¥ulan￿￿ LKerK*s 3.584.74 12.$50.99 1.839.77 110.04 16.13&73 15225.88 Fu￿[al$￿ E tknach F G1antexr￿￿1￿re TekphonÈ& Bro*lbar 1.822.59 1.035.74 746.94 £ W)3.C 11S.24 £ S.076.82 GENEIiALFUNDS TOTALPAYMWS 6403128 li.?￿50 19.X¥J.39 £*/z/ L< Rev R•strkW Fwnts &PrymMts Cmns Furth{J￿1 or 150 46737 46737 44177 -46177 10fQ 10C p?￿slan St Lukes MHA TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS c•J 11974S -1￿745 -10 AccouMAna 11974S IYJ74S -io.tyj TOTAL 4YffjY 7715931 ￿ 73 Sufflm•ry ol WFunds w•F*II Petty&¥h nk Cutrentfvuxxw 2712 34.354.46 21.03&.94 2712 14.97867 2.224.51 47,611.72 411078 I3.￿.94 55.&W 52 T(1 55.43J 52 55.4)).52 TOTALGENEFi*L FUPK15 AT El￿oF IEAR 3&4*.52 f212023 21MPGts141 t 3.￿6￿$.11) É 3.420.715. É ￿.229.￿1 I￿.541. 14.673 (X) E 220.$9)ty) 15.WC•) Wom￿,5 Fdltr*sfip Drop'ft. Shjp 269) 7417 -156 81 5597 37S96 I￿98 310 99 15fj81 249fj8 JW16 Fnen¢8hipG Churth Fl(Mprs 16 2.78 ah's >.10 9.12 Q94.19 4239.14 rn.87 Independeni Ex•mlner'5 Report to ihe Trus¢*es of Il•niwlth Methodlst Church The repori relates 10 th(. ChulLli ALiouDts for the y¢ar ended 31* Auiusi ZOZ4 Respedlve rnsponslblllthes ol Trusiees and Examlnef The chariiy'5 t11151ees ale wespon51ble fo¥ the preparaiion ol the accounls. The charlty's tf115tees onsider that an audit 15 not requlred for ihls year under sedion 144 of the Charlde5 Act 2011 and thaf Independent Examinatlon Is Treeded. It Is the examiner's responsibility to- Examine the accounis under Sectlon 145 of the Chariiie5 Act Follow the procedure5 laid down in the general Direction5 given by the Charity Commission lundef seciTon 145ISllbl of the Charitie5 Art. Stare whether particular matters have come to hislher attention. Basis of Independent Examiners Report My examinatson was carried out in accordance with general direcrion5 given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review ol ihe accountin8 records kept by the Char￿ and comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It a150 includes consideration of any unusual item5 or disclosures in the accounts and seekinz explanations ffom the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit. and consequently no opinion is Eiven a5 to whether the accounts present 'true and tsir. view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent Examiners Statement In connection with my examination. no matter ha5 come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the ￿quirements. l. To keep oc¢ounDnq records in occordonte with section 130 of the Chorities Act.- 2. To prepore occounts which occord with the uccounring records ond comply with the accounting requirements of the Churiries Act and re9ulution5 have not been met or to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understandin8 of the accounts to be reached. I have obtained independent verification of all bank balances and funds at the Centrnl Finance Board of the Methodist Chufch ICFBI 4ftl￿E grr4 eoLQ)