2024-06-30-accounts

WATCH (Women and the Church) CIO

Trustees Report for the year ended 30 June 2024

1. The Trustees have been active throughout the year in each of the following seven areas of work, identified in the 2023 Strategic Action Plan:

   1. To raise awareness of ongoing discrimination and sexism and to support and promote the well-being of women in the Church

   2. To respond to appointments and actions that impact on the flourishing of women in the Church

   3. To monitor the outworking of the Five Guiding Principles (5GPs) and House of Bishops Declaration

   4. To work for transparency about limits that some churches place on women’s ministry

   5. To broaden our membership, both lay and ordained

   6. To improve communications

2. To develop liturgy, theology and general language of the Church

In pursuance of these:

1. In September 2023, WATCH adopted the following position “that it is time to find a generous way to bring the arrangements set out in the 2014 Settlement to an end. Underlying this position is a desire for the unity of the Church”.

2. In November 2023, following the WATCH AGM, the public talk at St John’s Waterloo was given by the Revd Professor Dr Maggi Dawn, on the topic “Resistance and Response: the gospel as a long game”.

3. In April 2024, WATCH welcomed the Report of the Independent Reviewer into “the Referral by WATCH (April 2023) regarding the appointment of Diocesan Bishops who do not ordain women”. The Trustees hope that its recommendations will be taken seriously and followed up by the Church of England.

4. On 20[th] April 2024 WATCH sponsored the “Not Equal Yet” Conference” at St John’s Waterloo, and online. The keynote address was given by the Rt Revd Rose Hudson Wilkin. A wide variety of speakers followed, from within and outside the church, a number of whom subsequently engaged in further public online discussions, hosted by WATCH.

5. Throughout the year, WATCH has continued to be in conversation with other inclusive organisations, including NADAWM (National Association of Diocesan Advisers in Women’s Ministry), SCM (Student Christian Movement), particularly in relation to the Honest Church campaign, and Inclusive Church, where a WATCH representative holds a trustee place.

6. Work continues to gather evidence across the Church of England of the working in practice of the Five Guiding Principles, with the expectation of a future submission to the Standing Commission on the 2014 House of Bishops’ Declaration & 5GP

7. Research projects, continuing and new, were supported by grants awarded to:

8. Dr Sharon Jagger for publication of research on ‘Non-Transparency of Positions on Gender Roles in C of E Churches ‘.

9. Revd Caroline Taylor, for an audit of the maternity provisions in Church of England dioceses.

10. Canon Amanda Barraclough, for research into bullying and harassment of women in the Church of England.

11. Charlotte Hobson, to compile a list of research linked to WATCH’s aims.

12. Other continuing work during the year has included:

13. Publication of the annual OUTLOOK Magazine (edition 40 – A4 colour, 24 pages) in July 2023.

14. Hosting a stand at the 2023 Greenbelt festival.

15. Submission of written questions by Committee members serving on General Synod at the July 2023 and February 2024 sessions.

16. 10.A new initiative, Liturgy Online, was launched this year to promote inclusive language worship. Three online events were held during the year, which were very well received.

17. 11.Martine Oborne (Chair of WATCH) and Yvonne Clarke (WATCH trustee) continued to serve on the Transformations Steering Group (TSG) which reports to the College of Bishops, and the Transformations Research and Implementation Group (TRIG), a sub group of TSG.

18. 12.In line with other administrative changes in the organisation, the Charity’s registered address was changed to 14 Ashford Close, Fordingbridge SP6 1DH.

Financial Report - Treasurer

I have pleasure in presenting the Treasurer’s report for the year ended 30 June 2024.

The rise in Subscriptions income reflects a 12% rise in membership, particularly coinciding with the Not Equal Yet Conference, and its follow-up events. Surplus funds of £2,676 generated by the Conference have been designated by the Trustees for continuing work on the issues raised at the Conference.

Expenditure of £32,859, compared with £31,055 in the previous year, reflects the increased costs associated with an expanding membership, as well as an increase in both the number of trustees and the range of their activities.

Research projects expenditure included a grant under Transformations Research programme for an audit of maternity provisions in Church of England dioceses, completed in the summer of 2023, and continuing work by Dr Sharon Jagger on laywomen’s experiences in parishes where there are objections to women’s ordination or women in leadership roles.

WATCH (Women and the Church) CIO Registered Charity No: 1171267 Receipts and Payments Account: 1 July 2023 to 30th June 2024

	2023-2024	2022-2023	2022-2023
	£		£
Receipts
Subscriptions	21,674		19,381
Donations and other income	816		416
Events - Not Equal Yet Conference (surplus)	2,676		0
	25,166		19,797
Payments
Events (General Synod & Greenbelt)	2,471		1,163
Website & Communications	892		2,387
Print & Distribution	4,805		1,533
Research Projects	3,162		7,500
AGM	1,337		1,363
Committee expenses	5,186		3,203
Administration expenses	15,008		13,906
	32,859		31,055
Surplus/(Deficit) of Receipts over Payments	(7,693)		(11,258)
Funds brought forward	44,766		56,024
Funds carried forward	37,073		44,766
Cash at Bank	WATCH (Women and the Church) CIO Registered Charity No: 1171267 Statement of Assets at 30th June 2024 30th June 2024 30th June 2023 £ £ 37,073 44,766
represented by:
Fund balances
General Fund	19,232		27,069
Hodel Jones Legacy (designated fund)	6,392		8,427
Research Fund (restricted)	8,773		9,270
Not Equal Yet Conference (designated)	2,676		0
	37,073		44,766
Signed on behalf of the Trustees Vrs		a Faylon
….............................		...........................................
Martine Oborne (Chair)		Peggy Jackson (Treasurer)
Date …..23rd July, 2024....................................

WATCH (Women and the Church) CIO Registered Charity 1171267 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of WATCH (Women and the Church) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of WATCH (Women and the Church) for the year ended 30 June 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of WATCH 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 Trust 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 understandin of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualification or membership of professional bodies (if any): I￿/1£/¢] C<- P6 /4-M Address.. Date: