CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1173865 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING Registered Charity No.173865 ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 Administrative information ANNUAL REPORT Introduction: what we are and what we do Structure and governance The year in retrospect Financial review STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES, RESPONSIBILITIES INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Statement of Financial Activities Balance Sheet Statement of Cash Flows Notes to the Accounts 10 11 12 12 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Contact information: clerktotrustees 11 kers.or Quaker Meeting House, 12 Southdown Road, Harpenden AL5 1 PD Website: htt .1111 uakers.or .uklarea meetin OFFICERS (2024) . Co-clerks Richard Cziborra and Robin Paton Treasurer Martin Sale {until 31 December 2024) AM CLERKING TEAM (2024) Ryan Kemp Linda Wood Administration Support Elise van Groenland PRINCIPAL BANKERS Triodos Bank Deanery Road Bristol BS15AS CUSTODIAN TRUSTEE Friends Trusts Ltd, 173-177 Euston Road London NW12BJ TRUSTEES in 2024 Richard Cziborra Marianne Karger Martin Robert Sale Helen Osbom Robin Paton Trevor Evans Stephen Kaim-caudle INDEPENDENT AUDITOR Kevin Fisher (Senior Statutory Auditor) Kingston Burrowes Audit Ltd 308 Ewell Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 7AL LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING 1 Introduction - what we are and what we do The Area Meetlng and Its Local Meetlngs Luton and Leighton Area Meeting (LLAM) is part of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, and part of the Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) community. Nine Local Meetings (Lms).. Bedford, Berkhamsted. Harpenden. Hemel Hempstead, Leighton Buzzard, Luton, Milton Keynes, St Albans and Watford make up the Area Meeting. Each of these Lms have their own Meeting House and hold Meetings for Worship. Friends in each of the Lms share with the Trustees the responsibility for the day-tc4ay care of their property. LLAM also owns and lets some property, not8bly the fomier Meeting House in Woburn Sands currently being used as a children's nursery. A burial ground is also maintained there - along with others in Ampthill, Cranfield. East Hemel. (Wood End) and St Albans. Our activltles-an oveNlew Resources are used to deepen and share spiritual experience and to support acts of wttness which arise from our faith. Through local and national initiatives, we witness and work for peace and justice., a sustainable environment; the alleviation of suffering; and the upholding of victims of oppression. Our local meetings for w0￿h1p are open to all. We have no tests of belief: membership of our Society is open to anyone who is sincerely seeking truth. Our meeting houses are much valued public buildings available for a wide variety of uses including worship by other faiths, education and meetings organised by other charitable and communty organisations. We have a continuing concern for sustainability and for accessibilrfy in our buildings. This includes helping Lms with practical and measurable steps to r8duce the use of fossil fuels. Institutional forni and purpose The Area Meeting was registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 19 July 2017 with Registered Charity Number 1173865. This report and the accounts that follow cover lh8 calendar year 2024. The objective of LLAM CIO is.. 'the fiirtherance of the general religious and charitable pury)oses of th8 Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Bntain in th& area of Luton and Leighton A ￿8 Meeting and beyonrf. We achieve our objective by carrying out work such as: Strengthening the life and witness of Quaker meetings in the area of LLAM and beyond. Spreading the message of Quakers and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Religious Society. Undertaknng Quaker seThice for the relief of suffering at home and abroad. Funding the cOn￿mS that Quakers in the LLAM or beyond have agreed to support. Pmviding for the pastoTrl care of individual members and attenders including assistance to those in need and for education. Maintaining and developing Quakermeeting houses as places for public worship, in the spirit of 'AII are Welcome,, and from which to carry our witness into the world. Administenng and maintaining the organisation of LLAM. Contributing to the SUPPOrt of Britain Yearly Meeting (B YM). 2 Structure, Governance and Management The Goveming Document for the registration of the CIO defines the responsibilities of the Area Meeting Trustees. Most Local Meetings have one trustee designated as their Link Tmstee on the Trustee body. The cle￿ of Trustees sends a copy cf the minutes of each Trustees, meeting to each of the LMS. The Clerk of Trustees prepares the busin888 and conducts the meetings following usual Quaker practice. The Clerk may prepare drafts which are developed and agreed during the course of the meeting. The Trustee group as awhole and not the Clerk alone decide whether the minute represents the sense of the meetirKJ. Area Meeting in Session and Business Meetings in each constituent Local Meeting also use this procedure. LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING Meetings for Worship for Business by which the Religious Society conducts its business are meetings for worship in which we try to discern what love requires of us concerning the matt&rs in question There is no voting in the meeting as Quakers believe that this would emphasise divisions between differing views and inhibit the proc8ss of seeking unity around a right way forward. The Luton & Leighton Area Meeting Nominations comm￿ee nominates individuals to be Trustees. Area Meeting in session appoints Trustees, nomially for a period of three years. Usually, Trustees meet six times during the year. Typically, three Trustees will complete their term each year. They might be reappointed (no more than twi￿) or replaced by a Friend new to the role. This is in order to provide opportunities for a wider circle of Friends to experience this role and to give their service to the Society. Newly appointed Friends are encouraged to attend the training courses in Trusteeship offered by Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre. In line with our governing document. Truste8s have been guided by the principles and praCtI￿S commended in Quaker Faith & Practice. Trustees take care also to attend to the relevant Charity Commission guidance, to 'Right Ordering." A Handbook of Business Practice within the Area Meeting, and to Britain Yearly Meeting documents including 'Handbook for Trustees of Quaker Meetings., A booklet How We Work Together sets out the partnership betsveen Trustees, Area Meeting and Friends in Local Meetings. When reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning future activities, Trustees have been mindful of the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidants on public benefit and specifically to The Advan￿ment Of Religion For The Public Benefit. 3 The year in retrospect Developments in governance During 2024 Trustees undertook a review of our governance arrangements which lead to the adoption by Area Meeting of How We Work Together, as a more comprehensive replac@ment for the 2018 Memorandum of Understanding. Trustees also prepared leaflets to explain our arrangements to new Friends and encourage involvement in the govemance and management of our affairs. We also continued our work on improving our safeguarding procedures which resulted in the establishment of a new Safeguarding Handbook. This is intended to make safeguarding simpler and more relevant to our Quaker contexts by addressing the issues that do (occasionally) arise in our meetings. tying it in wilh Pastoral Care, and preparing training materials in support of the approach, as approved the previous year. We are aware of the need to engage appropriate professional services. We are developing a constructive business relationship for Property assistance and have extended the scope of our contract with Mindful Business Services to includ8 bookkeeping for some of our local me8tings and administrative support for document filing and (through the Quaker Meetings Networf() a shared IT infrastructure. We adopted a new Financial Strategy which is intend8d to encourage local meetings to put foward projects that will make their premises more altractive and sustainable. We held a'Renewal Day, with representatives from our local meetings to explore ways in which we can work together to renew the life of our local meetings. Property Management We continued to progress programmes of preventative Maintenan￿ and renovations arising from the quinquennial reviews of our Meeting Houses. We were glad to support the following works.. Bedford - improvements to the frontage of the building Berkhamsted - consideration of leasing their building with a license for Quakers to use it on Sundays. Harpenden - major improvements to the warden's accommodation. Hemel Hempstead - repairs to a dividing wall Luton - refurbishment of the adjacent properties to bè let. Investigation of options for improvements to the roof structure of the main meeting room.. Leighton Buzzard - installation of a new toilet was completed. St Albans - preparations for a contract to replace the roof. Woburn SandslLarchfield Nursery - renegotiation of the temis of the lease for this property. Wood End burial ground - negotiation of agreement for this burial ground to be incorporated into a community garden owned by Crown Estates. LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING Sustainabllity Trustees met with representatives from local meetings lo consider options of improving the sustainability of our meeting houses and develop a sustainability policy. Membershlp At the end of 2024 (2023), the Area Meeting (AM) had 250 (258) members and 167 (179) adult non-members (attenders). There were 21 {29) children recorded in the AM. The number of members decreased by 8 and the number of attenders recorded had decreased by 12 since 2023. Vve were saddened by the deaths of a number of Friends. Quaker funerals and memorial meetings were arranged as requested by the families and Friends of those who had died. Managlng our church affalr8 Tha AM held five meetings for Worship for Church Affairs (business meetings) during 2024. Two of these were held solety on line by Zoom. two meetings were 'blended' with some Friends present in the designated Meeting House and others participating via Zoom and one meeting was held at the designated Meeting house only. The meeting in November included the Annual General Meeting for the Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1173865. The number attending Ams for Church Affairs has ranged from 21 to 33 Friends. Some Friends prefer not to attend online meetings while, for others, it is an opportunity to participate in AM which would not otherwise be possible, perhaps due to mobility issues. difficulties with travel, or for reasons of sustainability. During 2024 four Meetings for church Affairs were held on a Sunday and one held on a weekday evening, this included Friends who had not attended previously. At each meeting for Church Affairs. a Friend is invited from the hosting local meeting to share a brief contribution on My Faith in Practice, expressing an aspect of their 'spiritual journey,. These contributions are an important opening for the business meeting. Three Local Meetings (Milton Keynes, Hemel Hempstead, and Watford) presented their triennial reForts on the well-being of their Meetings during the year. They cover the challenges and joys of the local meeting as a whole, including numbers attending, spiritual, social and charitable activities, safeguarding processes and procedures, record keeping, and the state of a meetings finances and building. Area Meeting received reports on four occasions from its Representatives on Meeting for Sufferings, the body that holds responsibility for the business and spiritual direction for Quakers in Britain nationally be￿een Yearly Meetings. Area Meeting Friends attending Britain Yearly Meeting and Junior Yearly Meeting, held during July, also reported on their reflections of attending in Friends house, London and online. Area Meeting and its constituent local meetings support Britain Yearly Meeting and other Quaker bodies from their funds. They also support individual Quakers and non-Quaker organisations, whose objects and activities are in accordance with Quaker values as expressed in the Quaker Testimonies of peace, truth, justice, simplicty, equality and sustainability. Strengthening our community Area Meeting held a Summer Gathering event attended by 42 Friends at Bedford Meeling house and online. The Theme was Ubuntu, and it gave an opportunity to learn, relate and grow in our Area Meeting community. Area Meeting also met at Harpenden Meeting house for a Spiritual Nurturing event using the theme of Deepening the life of the spirit= Spiritual Practice. 28 Friends explored several different fomis of Spiritual Practice. The Area Meeting appoints the Elders and Pastoral Care Friends who serve in local meetings. Elders are charged with nurturing the spiritual health of their local meetings whilst pastoral care teams seek to provide pastoral support where needed. Elders & Pastoral Care Friends seNe local meetings and support Area Meetings in some business matters. The AM joint Elders and Pastoral care Friends met once to discuss matters of shared importance and to give support to one another. For our Quaker community, the nurturing of our spiritual lives is as important as our outward facing activities. The annual AM Quaker camp, where Friends 'live a Quaker life in community,, was held in a field in Chearsley, Buckinghamshire, surrounded by wildlife and overlooking the Aylesbury Vale valley. The theme was "Small is The number of Friends attending in 2024 was slightly lower than past years. Camp is attended by Area Meeting adults and children and other Friends associated wilh LLAM including those who previously lived in our Area. Quaker camp was established in cooperation with other neighbouring Area Meetings many years ago. Together they make up the Grand Union Quaker Camps committee who jointly own and oversee the equipment and arrangements. The committee is a separate charity with trustees appointed by each of the Area Meetings involved. Area Meeting keeps local meetings informed of planned activities through the monthly circulation of AM Notices. The AM Clerking group met with AM role holders four time during the year. These meetings on zoom include Local Meeting clerks, Trustees, AM Elders and Pastoral Care and AM Nominations committee, together they consider strategic issues and hear news from around the Area Meeting. LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING The life of our Local Meetlngs The main activities of the conslituent Local Meetings (LMS) are the right holding of public meetings for worship. A meeting for business is generally held On￿ each month or On￿ every other month in smaller Meetings. Lms consider a wide range of topics throughout Ihe year. Each of the Local Meetings has formal and infomal programmes for developing the spiritualand social life of its members and attenders. Local Friends participate in interfaith and community cohesion activities. Outreach takes place through involvement in local organisations such as UNA, MI ND, Citizens, and hom@lessness charities. Some support Quaker activities at AM and Britain Yearly Meeting through involvement on committees and working groups. Further and current information is available on LM websites. Friends in Local Meetings manage and maintain their meeting houses, with the support of AM Trustees. Local Meetings make their Meeting Houses available for use by the wider community such as pre-school nurseries, wall- being activities, 12-Step groups, community groups and other faith groups who do not have their own premises. The hiring of premises can be a significant source of revenu8 for meetings essential for the upkeep of the property. Charges for hiring rooms can be redU￿d to encourage groups that find it difficult to pay the standard amounts. Meeting houses are inspected annually and report to AM Trustees. AM Trustees and Local Meeting committees cooperate with respect to any improvements or changes that are required. 4 Financial Review Our income for 2024 was £523k an increase of 13% over 2023 (£461 k). The mix of income sour￿$ was fairly constant with Donations and Legacies accounting for 34°/o, a slight decline from 2023 (36 % }, but made up for by an increase in Other Trading Activities to 490A up from 47ts￿ in 2023. Although small this trend needs to be monitored given our aging population of members and attenders who are our main donors. OtherTrading Income is our majorsource of income and at£256k is roughly 44% higherthan donations. Itcomprises income from longer term tenants, which accounted for £119K in properties such as Larehfield Nursery, and local meeting room hire which accounted for £137k. This underlines the importance of actively managing our estate and the work of wardens and volunteers in keeping our local meeting houses attractive, and in actively building relationships with existing and potential room hirers who consist of many small clients. Our 8xp8nses rose considerably over the year to £718k, up by 450A from 2023 (£497k) giving rise to a deficit of £185k compared to a gain of £317k in 2023. The increase in expenditure was mainly due to improvements to our 8State (up by £330k) and professional services related thereto (up by £31 k). This was partly offset by 8 reduction in repairs and maintenance (down by £74k) and admin and other costs (down by 65k). The improvements have not been capitalised but written off in the year. The increase in costs meant that we reduced our contribution to Britain Yearly Meeting by £27k to £55k, down from £82k in 2023. The improvements to the Harpenden Meeting House were partially fInan￿d by using the Erika Stapleton b4uest of £162k. Despite the deficit in the year the Area Meeting was hiqhly solvent with net current assets totalling £571 k whiGh. although down on 2023 (£750k), still represents more than a whole yearfs income. We benefit from voluntary work by Friends in many ways and we record our Ihanks for their generous giving. Investment and Freehold Properties The Meeting holds a number of quoted investments which are included at market value (see note 16), freehold investment properties let out to tenants and the meeting houses themselves used by local meetings for worship, communal activities and room hire. The Financial Reporting Standard FRS102 pemiits the use of an initial'deemed cosf, which can be based upon the insur8d value of the properties. Trustees have decided that the cost of revaluation is not justified and therefore the valuation used in 2018 has been retained, Bankers & insurance The Area M88ting and èach of the Local Meetings manage their accounts individually and hold current and deposit accounts as required. It is our policy to hold funds in ethical banks (Co-operative, CAF & Triodos) and a numb&r of building sccieties). Some historic funds are held in BMO Global Asset Management (previously F&C Stewardship) units. The buildings, contents and public etc. liability insurance is held with Congregational & General Insuran￿. LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER hlEETING Reserwos Policy The Area Meeting has a pollcy of holdlng a cash tosolve. as far as it is able. to cover slx months, expenditure on wnning costs. In addition, other funds are held lo provide for unexpected propety repatrs and periodic major refurbtshments. including proviskin for on%oing $u8talnabillty enhancements, or oth8r nècessary work idenlified by quinquenntal surveys. STATEMEI4T OF TRUSTEES. RESPONSIBILITIES The ttustees are responsible for prepartng this Annual Report and the finanThd 8tatements in accordance with appllcable law and United lfjngdthn Accountlng Standards (Unitèd Kingdom Generally Accepted Acolunting Practice). The law appI￿able to charities in England & W8les requires Ihe trustees to prepare financial statements for each firrancial year which glve a true and falr view of the stat& of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing ihese financial statements, the trustees are required t select suitable accoutiting policies and then apply them consisteTrtty: observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019 (FRS 102); make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. state whether applicable 8ccounling standards have bean followed. subject lo any materlal departures disclosed and explained in the financial slatements" prepare the financial slatements on the going concern basis un185S it ig inappropriate to presume that the cl￿rity will continue in op8ratTon. The twste&s are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at ary time the financiaj position of the charity and enable them to ensure that Ihe financial statèments comply with the Cliarilies Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports} Regulations 2008 and the provisions Df th8 tiusl deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for18king reasonable steps for the prevention and deteclion of fraud and other trreguiarities. Signed Date: Richard Cziborra Clerk of Trustees LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING INDEPENDENT AUDrroR'S REpoiYfTO THE TRUSTEES OF LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING (Registered Charity No. 1173865) Opinion We have audited the financial statements of Luton & Leighton Area Quaker Meeting for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of signrficant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards. incknding Financial Reporting Stsndard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generdlly AC￿pted Accounting Practice). In our opinion the financial statements: give a true and fairview of the state of the charity's affairs as at 31 De￿rn￿er 2024, and of its incoming resour and application of resour￿$, for the year then ended. have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice- and have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. Basis for opinion We conducted our audit in accordan￿ with International Standards on Auditing {UK) (ISAS (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC'S Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordan￿ with these requirements. W8 believe that the audit evidents we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. Conclusions relating to going concem In auditing the financial statements. we have concluded thatthe trustees. use of the going concem basis of aw)unting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have perfomied, we have not identif￿d any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concem are descrlbed in the relevant secttons of this report. Other infomiation The other information comprises the Information included in the trustees, report other than the financial statements and our auditorfs report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, ex￿pt to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In wnnection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is matertally inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to detennine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We hav6 nothing to report in this regard. LUTON & LEIGHTON ARE4 QUAKER MEETING INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING (Registered Charity No. 1173865) Matters on which we are required to report by exceptlon We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you rf, in our q)inion: the information given in the financial statements is inconsistent in any material respect with the trustees, report. or sufficient accounting records have not been kept" or the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records,. or we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. Responslbllltles of trustees As explained more fully in the trustees, responsibilities statement set OLrt on page 6. the trustees are responsible for the preparation of financial statements which give a true and fair view, and for such intemal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due lo fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity's ability to continue as going contsrn, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concem basis of accounting unless Ihe trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. AudftoVs responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements We have been appointed as auditor under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with regulations made under section 154 of that Act. Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance aboul wh8ther the financial statements as a whole are free from malerial misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAS (UK) will a￿ayS detect a material misstatement when li exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material rf, individually or in the aggregate. they could reasonabty be expected to Influen￿ the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financkql statements. Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design pro￿du￿5 in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The specrfic procedures for this engagemenl and the extent to which these are capsble of detecling Irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.. Enquiry of management and those charged with governance about actual and potential litigation or claims and the identifi￿tIon of non-compliance with laws and regulations. Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governan￿. Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Auditing the risk of management override of controls, including lesting joumal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness., assessing whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias; and evaluating the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business, Performing analytical prO￿dureS to identlfy any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud. Professional scepticism in course of the audit and with audit sampling in material audit areas. Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities. including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORTTOTHETRUSTEES OF LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEEfiNG (Registered Charity No. 1173865) greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment. forgery. collusion, omission or misrepresentation. A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at.. www.froorg.uklauditorsr6sponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditorfs report. Use of our report This report is made solely to the charity's trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purwse. To the fullest exient permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibilty to anyone other than the charty and the charity's trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the OEinions we have formed. 308 Ewell Road Surbiton Surrey KT8 7AL KINGSTON BURROWES AUDIT LTD Statuto Audi 13Apr, 2026 Kingston Burrowes Audit Ltd is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006. LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 UnwstrlGl8d Funds Area Local Reslrided Funds Unr9str1cted Funds Area Local R¢$trfcted Fund8 Area Local Area Lo¢81 Total 2024 T¢l81 2023 Note Meeling Meettngs Meallng Me¢Ungs Meeting Meelngs Meeung Meetlngs Incom• Donations and legacie$ Olher tfading aclivilies lrtvestmer 121,440 55.579 200.949 12,859 2,126 10.983 8,900 15.000 35.318 94,421 67.327 178,767 256,528 14985 22,734 108,078 46.052 172.399 12,073 2.133 14.390 62,171 170,249 218,451 14.206 14.390 Charitable a¢t4vities 2.851 Other Income Total Income 523 332 77 515 321741 62.171 461.427 Outgolngs Charrtabla activtttes Total oirtgolngs 421.089 421089 264,128 32,920 32,920 146.118 146118 296.910 53,898 496,924 718 137 Ineom•19g$ oxp•ndltur• from oporatlons Net galn l (loss} on investmènts Not ￿1n I Iloss) for Ihe year {326,868) 104.605 27.258 1194.8051 (e8,603) 24,831 8,275 (35,4971 16 9.133 908 218,257 (317,535} 105,513 218.257 27,258 22&298 10.119 {58,484} 1.725 341,304 26,556 341,304 353,148 8.275 317.651 TTan$hrs betwegn funds 87,304 (83,804) 0 13.500) 17,565 (13,5651 15,000) Net movomtrnt In fvnds 230 231 21709 218 257 336 304 317651 R•con¢lllallon Total ftFnds brought fI)￿ard Prior year adjustment Totsl fund$ carrled forward 637.637 232,029 7.830.1 S5 36.599 8.736A20 16.507 16.507 423913 253738 8048.412 60.357 8786 678.556 246.382 7.493,851 0 8.418,769 27,324 27,324 637.637 232 029 7 830,155 36 599 8.736 420 10 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREI QUAKER MEETING BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER2024 tlrwgstrietsd Fund9 Re$tri¢ted Fund¢ Total urneStr￿ Fund$ Rgslrictsd Fund$ Ttstsl Local 2024 LotrAI 2023 N¢tè Mèetlng Meetsng5 Mgèttng M•8lng¥ Mee11k￿ Moèting Meeling6 Flx•tl ￿Sets Invesltnents 18 185268 17 10,987 2,037.Cfj2 0 $9813eo 0 2.233.307 17&135 10.079 1.818.795 0 5 981.360 0 2,005,009 0 5981360 Free￿￿d prop¢ty T•tsl Flxed assets 185268 10.987 8.018.412 0 8 214.687 176.135 10.079 7 8￿.155 0 7,988. Current A￿#1¥ Debtors 10 1fj.984 14964 918 15M86 f&686 Cash atbank 8nd in hand 238N5 229 916 30.000 357 461.502 216.148 36,599 744 289 TatAI ourr (7,959) 16.231) {58.6581 (22,000) {47,9781 1284,1281 {296,9101 Nel gain81llossesl on investments 908 Total outgolng¥J 42,242 14,932 43.696 19.524 7.959 6.231 58.658 295 185 Ngt Incomelloxp•ndlturo1 4.005 2,742 12.442 22.066 105513 26,556 Transfvrs b•tw••n lunds Contributions to Area Meeting Other transfers {7.1861 11.0001 0 12,300) 111.0001 3,500 (8,0001 129,4861 136,5811 3,407 45,000 1.069 Total trdn$f•r8 12,186 1,000 45.000 1.069 .500 83,804 13,565 Total rnovement In fvnd$ 18.1811 1,408 114,829) 31.835 (2,7381 10,142 14.566 12.890) (7,6041 21,709 12,991 Funds broughtforward Funds ￿rrI•d lorward 43,442 8,115 SO.684 26.frJ7 4.722 14,848 50,052 232.029 246,362 35,2fj1 9,523 57,842 6213 14 864 263 738 £232 029 R•¢onGlllatlon of fvnd$ Held a¥ Invostm•nts 10.707 220 lo,￿7 1 Ct,079 H•ld as currgnt a8¥0ts: Debtors Cash al bank and In harKI 12,242 3.722 16,964 7,304 35.281 6 213 14 864 11.738 40,306 229 916 224 $70 Total current ass9ts Less.. Credltors due wilhln one year Not currgnt ass•t$ 35.261 9,523 37.020 47,075 6.213 14,664 40.158 11,738 M.028 246.880 231,874 85.281 9.523 35,855 47,075 6,213 14,864 39,774 11,738 42,448 242.761 221,950 Total fvnds 35.261 9,523 35,855 57,a42 8,213 14,864. 39.774 11,958 42,448 . 253.738 232,029 14 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 (CONT) Accounting policies (a) Basls of preparatlon The Charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordan￿ with Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), Ihe Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. There are no material uncertainties about the Charity's ability to continue its activities and therefore the financial statemenls are prepared on a going concem basis under the historical cost convention and are presented in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entiiy. The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied for all years presented unless otherwise ststed. (b) Incoming recognition policies Income is recognised and included in the financial Stat￿entS when all the following criteria are met: a) The Charily has entitlement to the funds. b) There is sufficient certainly that the income will be received; c) The amount can be measured reliably. {c} Expenditure recognition Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measures reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings: al Raising funds., b) Charitable activities - the cost undertaken to further th8 purposes of the Charity and their associated support costs. (d) Allocation of support costs Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the Charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back Offi￿ costs, finance, Fersonnel, payroll and governance costs which support the Charty's activitl8S. {e) Land and bulldlng Details of the functional properties owned by the Area Meeting are given in note 17 to the financial statements. These comprise meeting houses and wardens accommodation which is held for the furtherance of the Charity's charitable objects. The land and buildings of the meeting houses are included at cost subject to depreciation. The insured value of the properties has been adopted as the deemed cost, exercising the option available on the adoption of FRS 102. In the opinion of the trustees, the greater part of the value lies in the freehold land rather than the buildings. Given th8 value of the land elemènt in the carrying value and th6 programme of maintenance of the buildings, any depreciation in relation to the meeting houses is considered immaterial. Major additions to those meeting houses will be included at their cost and depreciated over their expected life. (fj Investment a88ets Investments are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their market value at the Balan￿ Sheet date using the quoted market price. The Statement of Financial Activities includes the net gains and losses on r8valuations and disposals. Investment properties are stated at fair value and 8ny change is recognised as part of the net income, 15 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 (CONT) (g) Fumiture and equipmont The cost of fumiture and equipment is included as expenditure of the year in which il is incurred and not depreciated over the anticipated useful life of those items. (h) Financial instruments Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and which are receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impaimient are recognised in expenditure. Taxatlon All the activities of the area meeting are charitable and therefore exempt from Income Tax, Capitsl Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax. There are no trading profits on which Corporation Tax is payable. u) Fund accountlng Funds are categorised according to the following definitions- a) Unrestricted.. general funds which are freely available for any purpose of the Area Meeting and designated funds which have been set aside by the Meeting for specific purposes but which remain at the discretion of the Meeting. b) Restricted: funds subject to restrictions on their expenditure as earmarked by the donor or testator. 4• c) Endowment.. funds that the Meeting must keep and only the income may be used for general or specific purposes as stipulaled by the donor or testator. Trade and oth8r debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. 4. Donations andlegacies Total 2024 Total 2023 Unrestricted Restricted Donations and contributions Legacies 107,319 14,121 57,327 164,646 170,249 £121,440 £57,327 £178 767 £170.249 Year ended 31 December 2023 £108,078 £62,171 5. Income from other trading activitles Total 2024 Total 2023 Lettings £256 528 £218 451 All amounts received relate to unrestricted funds 6. Investment income Total 2024 Total 2023 Bank interest and dividends réceived £14,985 £14,208 All amounts received r81ate to unrestricted funds 16 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 (CONT) 7. Expenditure on charitable activities Total 2024 Total 2023 Direct Grants Support Events and conferences Children and young people Outreach, library, literature etc Catering and hospitality Elders and overseas Governance (note 13) Professional services Contribution to yearly meeting Other charitable contributions Grants to individuals Contributions and subscriptions Premises repair and maintenance Premises improvements Insurance Wardens, caretaking and cleaning Heat, light and servI￿S Furniture and equipment Admin and other 19,815 268 1,574 464 2,974 19,815 268 1,574 464 2,974 318 31,353 55,350 37,070 14,715 90 7,402 1.100 62 5,044 318 31,353 55,350 37,070 81,919 10,098 479 4,272 153,082 45.780 9,523 56,425 30,900 6,160 69,873 496,924 4,525 78,913 377,106 12,441 51,459 29,938 9,911 4,658 595, 964 4,525 78,913 377,106 12.441 51.459 29,938 9,911 4,658 718,137 25,095 92,420 The 2024 amounts include £162,761 {2023 £4,016) from the Stapleton fund spent by Harpenden Quaker Meeting. Other conlributions includes Peace Works Zimbabwe. Friends of Hlekweni and Zim Resources expenditure tctalling £31,977 {2023 £53,896). During the year grants and donations received for this work totalled £11, 388. In addition the Milton Keynes Local Meeting gave £0 {2023 £1,000) to these concems. 8. Trustee remuneration and expenses No trustees or persons connected with them received any remuneration in respect of service given during the year. Trustees are entitled to reimbursement of expenses in the performance of their duties, Any claim for expenses is subject to th8 Charitys nomial internal control procedures. 9. Transfer between funds In order to provide the Area Meeting with funds to meet the costs of administration and for the upkeep and development of property Local Meeting contributions were transferred to the General Fund from the Local Meetings in proportion to their membership. 17 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 (CONT) 10. Debtors Total 2024 Total 2023 Lettings Gift Aid refund Sundry debtors 2,719 5,745 7,500 15,964 1,665 5,114 8,907 15,686 11. Credltors Total 2024 Total 2023 Sundry creditors 3,129 3,129 9,924 9.924 12. Contributions and grants Area Meeting Local Meetings Restricted Funds Total 2024 Total 2023 To Britain Yearly Meeting To other charitable causes To individuals 55,350 37,070 55.350 37,070 81,919 10,098 479 Total 13. Governance Total 2024 Totsl 2023 Auditorfs remuneration 1,020 othar costs 318 Total 318 5,044 14. Actlng as agent Total 2024 Total 2023 5,115 4,168 Out Total 18 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 (CONT) 15. Staff costs Total 2024 Totsl 2023 Salaries including social s6CUrity and pensions Total 40,629 37,486 No employee received total empbyee benefits (excluding employer's pension costs) over £60,000 in either year. The average number of employees during the year was 4 {2023'. 3) The total employee benefits re￿iVed by key management personnel was £nil (2023: £nil) 16. Investments Total Total 2023 2024 Quoted investments (see below) Investment properties Total 196,255 2 037,052 2.233,307 186,214 1,818,795 2,005,009 Quoted Investments Market value brought forward or on acquisition Net unrealised gainl{loss) Market value at 31 Decemb8r 186,214 174,371 196,255 186,214 Quoted investments General Hemel St Fund H'stead Albans Total 2024 Total 2023 The market value of Investments held at 31 December was: Responsible Funds Epworth Climate Stewardship Fund Rathbones Funds Aberdeen Ethical World Unit Trust Traidcraft {unquoted) Total 92.634 50,273 42,361 92,634 50,273 42,361 10,767 220 87,781 47,881 40,473 9,859 220 10,767 220 185 268 220 196 255 186 214 19 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 (CONT) 16. Investments {cont) Investment propertles Total 2024 Total 2023 Wobum Sands (see 1 below) Luton Cottage (see 2 below) Total 1,561,739 1,394,409 475 313 424 386 2,037,052 1,818,795 (1) The former meeting house at Hardwick Road, Woburn Sands let to Larchfield Nursery LLP on a full repairing lease for 10 years from 6 July 2015 at an annual rentsl of £25,000 (insured value £1,581.739). (2) The flat at 30a Crawley Green Road, Luton let to a private tenant on a shorthold lease at a rent of £740 per month and the fomer Caretakers Cottage at 30 Crawley Green Road, let to a private tenant at £1,100 per month (Insured Value £475,313) In addition tt) the properties above. the following investment propertles are held for which no separate valuation is available: (3) The top-floor flat at 5A Landsdowne Road, Bedford let to a private lenant on a shorthold lease at a rent of £600 per month. (4) The flat at St Mary's Road, Hemel Hempstead let to a private tenant o a shorthold lease at a rent of £850 per month. (5) Cottages adjacent to Leighton Buzzard meeting house leased to Hightown Praetorian Housing Association for 99 years from 1987 at an annual rent of £30. (6) The disused burial ground at Bourne End, Cranfield leased to a private tenant at an annual rentsl of 50 pence. (7) The disused burial ground at Victoria Street, St Albans on a 125 year lease to St Albans District Council from November 2020 to be kept as a Quaker Garden at an annual rentsl of £1,000, doubling every 25 years. (8) The disused burial ground at Wood End, Cross Lanes, Hemel Hempstead leased to a private tenant for 21 years from 2015 at an annual rental of £10. (9) The aclive burial ground at Baker Stree( Ampthill (not leased). (10) The active burial ground at Hogsty End, Hardwick Road, Wobum Sands (not leased) 20 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 (CONT) 17. Tangible fixed assets - Freehold propertles The freehold properties (Meeting Houses} have been introduced at a deemed cost based upon their insured values. The insured property values by McNeill. Lowe and Palmer, Chartered SuNeyors on 15 August 2015. Original Date of Additions Date of cost acquisition addition Deemed Cost 2024 The Area Meeting is the beneficial owner of the followlng functional properties: Bedford meeting house, 5 Lansdowne Road, Bedford MK40 2BY Berkhamsted meeting house and burial ground, 289 High Street, Bèrkhamsted HP4 1AJ Harpenden meeting house, 12 Southdown Road, Harpenden AL5 1PD Hemel Hempstead meeting house and burial ground, 22 St Mary's Road, Hemel Hempstead HP2 5HL Leighton Buzzard meeting house and burial ground, 25 North Street, Leighton Buzzard LU71EQ Luton meeting house and cottage, 28 Crawley Green Road, Luton LU2 OQX Luton burial ground Milton Keynes meeting house, 1 Oakley Gardens, Downhead Park, Milton Keynes MK15 9BH St Albans meeting house, 7 Upper Lattimore Road. St Albans AU 3UD Watford meeting house, 150 Church Road, WatFord WD13QB Total 3.000 1955 157,097 1999 1,230,000 1818 395,000 1,500 1931 525,000 132 1718 37,741 940.000 Gfft 1744 365,325 11,029 1963 236,035 200 232,000 1986 885,000 490 1912 209,475 1996 505,000 1,200 1953 253,231 2007 900,000 5,981.360 18. Unrestricted funds Area Meeting Lo¢81 Meetings Total 2024 Total 2023 Balance brought forward at 1 January Net (outgoing)fincoming resources Gainslllosses) on investments Transfer between funds Prior year adjustment Balaneo carried fonNard at 31 D•camb•r 637,637 (326,668) 9,133 87,304 232,029 869,666 924,918 104,605 (222,063) (38,772} 908 10,041 11,844 (83,804) 3,500 (1,000) 423,913 253,738 677,651 869.666 Restricted funds Area Local Meeting Meetings Total 2024 Total 2023 Balance brought forward at 1 January Net (outgoing)Tincoming resources Gainsl(losses) on investments Transfer between funds Balance carried foThvard at 31 December 7,830.155 36,599 7,866,754 7,493,851 27,258 27,258 3,275 218,257 341,304 218.257 8.048,412 60,357 8 108 769 7,866,754 Total funds 8.472,325 268,628 8 786,420 8,736.420 21 LUTON & LEIGHTON AREA QUAKER MEETING NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 (CONT) 19. Analysls of net assets between funds at 31 December 2024 Unrestricted Area Meeting Restricted Total funds Local Meetings Local Meetings Meeting Investments Investment properties Freehold properties Current assets Current liabilities 185,268 10,987 196,255 2,037,052 5,981,360 574,882 3.129 8 786 420 2,037,052 5,981,360 30,000 238,645 245,880 3,129 253,738 60,357 423.913 8,048,412 60,357 Restricted Area Meeting Funds include £30,000 in the Hemel Hempstead 1718 Fund which is restricted to expenses of keeping the building and property frt for the future, but not ordinary repairs. Restricted Local Meeting Funds includ8S £50,076 relating to Peace Work Zimbabwe, a fund ralsing Committee set up by Milton Keynes Local Meeting. 20. Other income Includes a £15,000 grant from BYM to help fund improvements to the Harpenden warden accommodation, and £15,000 grant from BYM to help fund improvements to Bedford frontage. 21. Related party transaction Twstees make donations to Local Meetings in the same way as other individuals and participate and benefit from the activ- ities in the same way as other individuals. 22. Stocks Olher than a small incidental stock of c18aning materials, catering supplies and stationery which are not valued, the Charity holds no stocks (2023.. Nil). 23. Pension commltments The Charity operates an auto enrolment money purchase pension scheme with NEST Pensions. 24. Prior Year Adjustment The cash balance held by Camp was not included correctly in the prior year accounts. 22