2020-12-31-accounts - Worcestershire And Shropshire Area Quaker Meeting

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting Trustees

Annual Report and Accounts 2020

Charity Number 1175399

Friends Meeting House,

51 Arundel Drive, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR5 2HU

Email: davidbaker854@btinternet.com

Telephone: 01905 763806

Contents:

Page:

1. Officers during 2020

2. Information and Governance

3. Public Benefit Achievements and Activities 4. Financial Review

5. Appendices - Local Meeting Annual Reports 19

1. Officers during 2020

Clerking Team:

Lynda Prescott Martin Layton

Worcester Local Meeting Bewdley Local Meeting

Treasurer:

David Rolfe Telford Local Meeting

Assistant Clerk for Membership and Data Protection: Colin Billett Bewdley Local Meeting

Area Meeting Trustees who served during 2020: David Baker (Clerk) Worcester Local Meeting David Rolfe (Treasurer) Telford Local Meeting Marilyn Foxall Bewdley Local Meeting Christine Jones Shrewsbury Local Meeting Eoin McCarthy Malvern Local Meeting

Custodian Trustee:

Friends Trusts Ltd., Registered Charity 237698 173-177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ

Bankers to the Area Meeting held accounts: TSB, Church Stretton Branch.

COIF Charity Funds, CCLA Investment Management Ltd. 80 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6DZ

In addition, each of the local constituent meetings of the Area Meeting has one or more bank accounts that they manage.

2. Information and Governance:

Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Quaker Meeting began operating as a Registered Charity from 1[st] January 2014 as Charity number 1155482. With effect from 26[th] October 2017, it re-registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation number 1175399.

The Charity was established for the advancement of religious and other charitable purposes that derive from, or bear witness to, the principles and practices of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), within Worcestershire and Shropshire.

Quaker Faith & Practice, the book of discipline of Britain Yearly Meeting, governs the Area Meeting’s affairs.

The Area Meeting appoints the Trustees of the charity following nominations from the Nominations Committee. These appointments are without financial remuneration.

The Annual Report recognises the requirement of Britain Yearly Meeting and the Charity Commission to outline the Public Benefit of the charity as indicated in Charity Commission publication April 2017 ‘ telling your story well: public benefit reporting by charities’.

The template offered by Quaker Faith and Practice (5[th] Edition), Chapter 14, is used to compile this report.

2.1 Trustees normally meet four times a year. In 2020 the following items of business were considered, and details are available in the minutes of these meetings:

Dated: 8[th] February 2020

i) Area Meeting Quota to Britain Yearly Meeting.
ii) New Arrangements for Area Meetings.
iii) Policy of payments from Area Meeting Funds.
iv) Employee Survey.
v) Data Protection Officers.
vi) Licence agreement re: Meeting Point House.
vii) Roles for the next triennium.

Dated: 13[th] June 2020

i) Document re: Expenditure from Area Meeting Funds
ii) 2019 Annual Reports
iii) 2019 Accounts.
iv) Salary, Pensions and Policy Documents.

Dated: 7[th] July 2020

This was a special meeting convened to discuss the holding of Meetings for Worship and the Hiring of Meeting Houses during the COVID-19 Pandemic Guidance for Local Meetings.

Dated: 29[th] October 2020

i) Meeting for Worship in Wem – COVID risk assessment.
ii) Distribution of funds to schools in Midnapore (West Bengal).

3. Public Benefit Achievements and Activities within the Area Meeting in 2020

3.1 Membership information for 2020

Tabular Statement

There were four new members recorded during the year, one by convincement and three by transfers in. One transfer out was recorded, and one member became no longer attached to a local meeting. There were eight deaths during the year. The net result is that total membership decreased by six from one hundred and eighty-five members to one hundred and seventy-nine members.

Name of Local Meeting	Men	Women	Other	Children	Total
BEWDLEY
Members	12	18	0	0	30
Attenders	1	5	0	4	10

CHURCH STRETTON
Members	3	7	0	0	10
Attenders	1	1	0	2	4

MALVERN
Members	18	14	0	0	32
Attenders	14	12	0	0	26

SHREWSBURY
Members	9	26	0	0	35
Attenders	8	18	0	2	28

TELFORD
Members	9	25	0	0	34
Attenders	5	10	0	3	18

WEM
Members	0	1	0	0	1
Attenders	1	1	0	0	2

WORCESTER
Members	15	21	0	0	36
Attenders	12	9	0	2	23

UNATTACHED
Members	0	1	0	0	1

3.2 Strengthening the life and witness of Quaker Meetings

This year (2020) has been challenging for everyone. In January and February, Local Meetings conducted their Meetings for Worship and Business as normal. By March we were living with the COVID-19 pandemic, Government guidelines, lockdowns, and restrictions, which tested our ingenuity and creativity in finding alternative ways by which to worship and conduct our business.

All our Local Meetings, apart from Wem, have continued to hold Sunday morning worship at 10.30 until 11.30 am, either online using Zoom, outdoors, or in person when permitted. Bewdley, Shrewsbury, Telford, and Worcester Meetings, have also held blended meetings. Every effort has been made to maintain worshipping communities by staying in touch with those Friends who have not felt comfortable enough to join on-line meetings during the lockdowns.

Elders and Pastoral Care Friends have ensured regular readings from Advices and Queries and Quaker Faith and Practice.

Bewdley, Church Stretton and Telford meetings have continued to involve their Children’s Meetings in worship, either online or outdoors when in-door meetings were not permitted. Worcester’s monthly Children’s Meeting stopped after February 2020.

All our Local Meetings, except for Wem, have organised a range of online events to encourage all age interaction and strengthen the life of the Meeting. For details of these events see Local Meeting reports in the appendix.

There has been a regular Area Meeting (mid-week) Meeting for Worship held online.

3.3 Spreading the message of Friends and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Society

We acknowledge that many of our usual activities were either postponed or reduced because of the restrictions of the pandemic. Local Meetings have nonetheless continued to organise a variety of discussions, workshops, and events, either outdoors or online. Details of these events can be seen in the Local Meeting reports in Appendix 1.

Local Meeting Friends have joined in Woodbrooke and Britain Yearly Meeting facilitated events online, which has increased awareness of Quaker thought and practice.

A Church Stretton Friend is convening a group of Friends from Wales and Southern Marches together with Meeting of Friends in Wales (Symud Ymlaen).

We piloted a website for one of our local meetings on the Quaker Meetings Network, as a step towards having an integrated family of websites, including one for Area Meeting.

3.4 Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad

Although the restrictions of the pandemic have curtailed some activities, Friends have continued to participate in many voluntary roles within their local communities.

The following are examples of Quaker service in action. Telford Local Meeting supported the STAY housing project. Church Stretton Friends invited a speaker from Quaker Service in Belfast to Engaging Issues. Malvern Friends have continued as active Prison Visitors when the pandemic regulations allowed. Bewdley Friends continue to be a collection point for clothes for refugees in Europe. ‘The Worcester Grassroots Alliance’ project has now been adopted by Area Meeting as a whole.

Wider participation is evidenced by Local Meeting Friends being appointed to central Quaker work at Britain Yearly Meeting.

For full details of the work being carried out by Local Meetings see Appendix 1.

3.5 Funding our Concerns

All Local Meetings have provided financial support as requested by Britain Yearly Meeting.

Local Meetings and Local Friends have donated to Quaker led charities and other charities of particular interest to Friends. These donations were made through special collections, subscriptions and/or standing orders.

3.6 Providing for the pastoral care of individual members and attenders including assistance for those in need and for education

Area Meeting discerned that it was appropriate to rename our Overseers as ‘Pastoral Care Friends’ and this was agreed at Area Meeting for Worship for Business on 7[th] November 2020.

The pandemic has increased the need and responsibility for providing care and keeping a watching brief on all Friends. Other Friends actively share in this care and try to ensure that no one is left out. A variety of methods has been used to remain in contact with Friends in need, such as, in person visits when appropriate, phone calls, letters and cards.

Bewdley Local Meeting have held regular, online, ‘Time to Talk’ sessions.

Fellowship of Healing groups have met in person, when and where appropriate, and in Spirit, throughout the lockdowns.

Specific ongoing assistance to Local Meetings is provided by Area Meeting hardship fund.

3.7 Maintaining and developing Quaker meeting houses as places of public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world.

Church Stretton, Telford and Wem Local Meetings do not have their own Meeting House.

Church Stretton Friends rent appropriate premises. Telford Friends hold a licence to worship in Meeting Point House (an ecumenical building). Wem did meet in a Friend’s home.

Bewdley, Malvern, Shrewsbury and Worcester have Meeting Houses which are currently well maintained through a regular review of their condition.

During the pandemic lockdowns, our Meeting Houses have remained closed to in person meetings for worship. Only those rentals to special support groups, exempt from the COVID-19 restrictions, have continued during this time.

Bewdley Meeting House has a newly installed audio-visual system which has enabled zoom and blended Meetings for Worship to take place.

3.8 Administering and maintaining our organisation and contributing to the support of Britain Yearly Meeting

Area Meeting met nine times during 2020. Two Meetings were held in person at Worcester and Shrewsbury Meeting houses. The remaining seven meetings were held online on Zoom. Britain Yearly Meeting Recording Clerk joined us for our online Area Meeting in May. All Local Meetings had regular Meetings for Worship for Business.

Local Meetings had representatives on Area Meeting and Britain Yearly Meeting committees.

3.9 Safeguarding and Health and Safety Policies

Trustees were satisfied that Area Meeting and constituent Local Meetings complied with their responsibilities to safeguard children and vulnerable adults in accordance with Area Meeting’s Safeguarding Policy.

In respect of fulfilling Local Meetings’ duties under health and safety legislation, and COVID-19 restrictions, an apparent lack of compliance at one Local Meeting was raised by Trustees and was immediately addressed by Area Meeting.

3.10 Sustainability Considerations

Local Meetings are encouraged to act on the growing concern for the welfare of Planet Earth and to adopt sustainable practices where possible.

4 Financial Review

W ment of F	orcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting inancial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2020

NOTES	1 2 3 4 Unrestricted AM Central Funds Unrestricted Local Funds Total Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Endowment Funds	Total 2020	Total 2019
5	3,056 45,395 48,451 493 8,817 8,817 2461 3,399 5,860 80 80 2,094 2,094	48,944 8,817 5,860 80 2,094	46,405 30,962 6,518 0 2,765
	5,517 59,785 65,302 493	65,795	86,650
6	1,690 3,050 4,740 244 6,620 27,053 33,673 47,125 47,125 996 1,560 2,556 1,694 913 2,607	4,984 33,673 47,125 2,556 2,607	6,960 25,741 43,403 8,183 4,364
	11,000 79,701 90,701 244	90,945	88,651
	(5,483) (19,916) (25,399) 249	(25,150)	(2,001)
7 7 7	7,440 (7,440) 0 638 (638) 0 0	0 0 0	0 0 0
ons	2,595 (27,994) (25,399) 249	(25,150)	(2,001)
	6,316 6,316	6,316	14,019
	2,595 (21,678) (19,083) 249	(18,834)	12,018
9	807,987 283,591 1,091,578 643 (1,140) (1,140)	0 1,092,221 (1,140)	(898,613) 1,980,985 (2,168)
r	810,582 260,773 1,071,355 892	1,072,247	1,092,222
	800,000 100,548 900,548 10,582 160,225 170,807 892	900,548 171,699	899,232 192,990
	810,582 260,773 1,071,355 892	1,072,247	1,092,222
8 8	1,719 1,719 2,987 2,987 2,880 2,880	1,719 2,987 2,880	6,597 4,878
	0 1,826 1,826 0	1,826	1,719

4 Financial Review

Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting

	Balance	Restricted Central Local Special Total 2020 1 2 3 4 800,000 800,000 0 100,548 100,548 800,000 100,548 0 900,548 1,650 1,650 107,332 107,332 10582 56,124 892 67,598 10,582 165,105 892 176,579 4,880 4,880 0 10,582 160,225 892 171,699 810,582 260,773 892 1,072,247 Sheet Summary as at 31st December 2020 Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Central Local Special Total 2020 1 2 3 4 800,000 800,000 0 100,548 100,548 800,000 100,548 0 900,548 1,650 1,650 107,332 107,332 10582 56,124 892 67,598 10,582 165,105 892 176,579 4,880 4,880 0 10,582 160,225 892 171,699 810,582 260,773 892 1,072,247 Sheet Summary as at 31st December 2020 Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Central Local Special Total 2020 1 2 3 4 800,000 800,000 0 100,548 100,548 800,000 100,548 0 900,548 1,650 1,650 107,332 107,332 10582 56,124 892 67,598 10,582 165,105 892 176,579 4,880 4,880 0 10,582 160,225 892 171,699 810,582 260,773 892 1,072,247 Sheet Summary as at 31st December 2020 Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Central Local Special Total 2020 1 2 3 4 800,000 800,000 0 100,548 100,548 800,000 100,548 0 900,548 1,650 1,650 107,332 107,332 10582 56,124 892 67,598 10,582 165,105 892 176,579 4,880 4,880 0 10,582 160,225 892 171,699 810,582 260,773 892 1,072,247 Sheet Summary as at 31st December 2020 Unrestricted Funds
		Unrestricted Funds		Restricted
		Central	Local	Special	Total 2020	Total 2019
Fixed assets Land and buildings Fixtures and fittings Investments	Notes 9	1 2 3 4 800,000 100,548			800,000 0 100,548	800,000 0 99,232
Total fixed assets		800,000	100,548	0	900,548	899,232
Current assets Debtors Short term deposits Cash at bank and in hand	10	1,650 107,332 10582 56,124 892			1,650 107,332 67,598	4,233 127,592 64,841
Total current assets		10,582	165,105	892	176,579	196,666
Current liabilities Creditors within one year Creditors after oneyear	11	4,880			4,880 0	3,676 0
Net current assets		10,582	160,225	892	171,699	192,990
Net assets		810,582	260,773	892	1,072,247	1,092,222

4 Financial Review

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

Note 1. Unrestricted funds, the centrally managed accounts

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS Note 1. Unrestricted funds, the centrally managed accounts	NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS Note 1. Unrestricted funds, the centrally managed accounts	NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS Note 1. Unrestricted funds, the centrally managed accounts	NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS Note 1. Unrestricted funds, the centrally managed accounts	NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS Note 1. Unrestricted funds, the centrally managed accounts
Financial Activities for the year ended December 31 2020
Incoming Resources Contributions (and tax reclaimed) Bank interest on deposits Dividends on shares,etc.	Notes	Unrestricted Designated General Extension	Total 2020	Total 2019
		3,056 5 2,456	3,056 5 2,456	0 10 2,685
Total Incoming Resources before transfers		3,056 2,461	5,517	2,695

Total Incoming Resources		3,056 2,461	5,517	2,695
Resources Expended Costs of Quaker activities Children and young people Committees and conferences BYM Gathering Refund of expenses to Trustees Refund of expenses to Officers, etc. Quaker Quest Child Protection Other costs of Quaker activities	1 3	600 992 76 22	0 1,592 0 0 76 0 0 22	0 2,150 562 0 168 0 0 20
Total costs of Quaker activities		698 992	1,690	2,900
Grants, subscriptions, donations ... to BYM … to ecumenical and interfaith bodies …. Woodbrooke …. CCPAS (thirty one eight) …. To Individuals	4 2 5	5,500 1,000 120	5,500 0 1,000 120 0 0	2,000 0 0 120 0 0
Total costs ofgrants, etc		6,620 0	6,620	2,120
Governance and Support costs Insurance excess paid Insurance - AM wide Professional fees Trustee meetings General support costs		1,694 788 208	0 1,694 788 0 208	0 3,124 2,070 0 320
Total costs of support andgovernance		2,690 0	2,690	5,514
Total Resources Expended before transfers		10,008 992	11,000	10,534
Transfers to and from Local Meetings Receipt of Quotas from Local Meetings Donations from LM's		(7,440) (638)	(7,440) (638) 0	(7,040) (2,000) 0
Total Transfers to Local Meetings		(8,078) 0	(8,078)	(9,040)
Prior Year Adjustments Total resources expended			0	0
		1,930 992	2,922	1,494
Revaluation of Property			0	(898,613)
Net movement in funds		1,126 1,469	2,595	(897,413)
Total funds brought forward 1 January		802,793 5,194	807,987	1,705,400
Total funds carried forward 31 December		803,919 6,663	810,582	807,987
These funds were held as follows: Fixed Assets Property Current Assets COIF deposit account Lloyds current account less Current Liabilities Creditor			800,000	800,000
			1,380 9,202	1,380 6,608
			10,582	7,988
Net current assets			10,582	7,988
Total Assets			810,582	807,988

4 Financial Review

Annotations to Note 1

1.1 Costs of attending committees and conferences and training for roles in our AM are charged under this heading, together with any contributions made by AM towards courses and activities undertaken by Members and Attenders to develop theirs and the Meeting’s spiritual lifes.
1.2 The cost of annual registration with C.C.P.A.S to meet our responsibilities for the care and protection of children.
1.3 Other costs of Quaker Activities include the purchase of some volumes of Quaker Faith and Practise or alternative books for distribution to new members.
1.4 Contributions to the Ecumenical Team Ministry in Telford and to Churches Together in Worcestershire and Shropshire.
1.5 Assistance to individual Friends in financial difficulties during the year..

Financial Report on the Centrally Managed Accounts

The General Fund is intended to meet the normal running expenses of the Area Meeting, together with donations to Britain Yearly Meeting and other Quaker Concerns as determined by Area Meeting.

Due mainly to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year saw a great reduction in the number of Friends attending training courses. To compensate for this, we gave donations to Woodbrooke and BYM to make up for their loss of income. No increase in quota was necessary to meet our costs. We made an Area Meeting grant to Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) early this year, as part of our regular practice of making a donation to BYM early in the year from any surplus of funds from the previous year. Friends also make contributions to BYM individually, as do some local meetings.

The centrally managed General Fund income was boosted this year by a legacy of £3000. The quota brought in £7440 ( up slightly from the previous year’s figure). Shrewsbury Meeting donated £638.

The General Fund includes the value of the properties owned by the Area Meeting. In 2019 we had these professionally valued and the values were determined to be much lower than we were carrying forward in our Insurance valuations. The values do not include Worcester Meeting House, which is separately owned by Worcestershire Friends Charity. There has been some concern expressed by Friends that our properties are valued too low. The trustees are considering this currently in light of a revaluation of Malvern Meeting House. Any uplift in values will be reflected in the accounts for 2021, as new figures were not availble at the end of 2020. The fixed assets of the Area Meeting centrally amount to 800,000 which is all held in property and therefore not available to meet our ongoing expenditure. The net current assets, across both the General Fund and the Extension Fund, amounted to £10582 (previous year £7988). The uplift is due to the legacy of £3000. The current assets are sufficient to cover the annual level of expenditure at 2020 levels.

The greater part of the income of the Extension Fund derives from a gift by two members of the Area Meeting in 1965. In accordance with the wishes of the donors, the income is normally designated for projects or to pay for courses or conferences, which will strengthen the spiritual life of our Meeting. The expenditure from the Extension Fund was £922, which is significantly down on the previous year as fewer Friends went on Spiritual Courses due to the pandemic. The income to the Extension Fund normally amounts to just under £3,000 per year, and used to be paid early in the year, but seems to get later and later each year, and in 2020 arrived at the end of the year. We should have sufficient resources for 2021.

4 Financial Review

Note 2. Local Unrestricted Funds (designated)

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year ended 31st December 2020 `

Incoming Resources Donations, legacies, and similar Income from activities to generate funds Investment income Quaker Activities Other income			Total	Total
	Notes	Bewdley Church Stretton Malvern Shrews'y Telford Wem Worcester	2020	2019
		6,123 1,205 10,521 9,827 7,130 270 10,319 1,200 2,931 1,990 2,696 188 2,613 486 4 107 80 347 1,747	45,395 8,817 3,399 80 2,094	45,412 30,962 3,823 0 2,765
Total incoming resources		7,858 1,205 16,065 14,050 7,134 270 13,202	59,784	82,962
Resources expended Costs of Quaker activities Grants and donations Premises and paid employees Costs of generating funds Management and administration		90 1,294 846 321 285 215 1,110 300 5,050 9,293 2,409 120 8,771 7,120 253 12,681 8,706 645 17,721 1,560 173 72 338 330	3,050 27,053 47,125 1,560 913	3,293 23,621 43,403 5,793 1,240
Total resources expended		8,320 2,020 20,208 18,320 3,677 120 27,037	79,701	77,350
Net incoming resources before transfers		(461) (815) (4,143) (4,269) 3,457 150 (13,835)	(19,917)	5,612
Transfers Transfers to AM (quota) Transfers from Restricted Funds Other transfers		(1,240) (360) (1,360) (1,560) (1,400) (80) (1,440) (638)	(7,440) 0 (638)	(7,040) 0 (2,000)
Net incoming resources before revaluations		(1,701) (1,175) (5,503) (6,467) 2,057 70 (15,275)	(27,994)	(3,428)
Gains(losses)on investments		6,550 (235)	6,316	14,019
Net movement in funds		(1,701) (1,175) 1,047 (6,702) 2,057 70 (15,275)	(21,678)	10,591
Total funds brought forward, 1 Jan Prior year adjustment		33,276 14,090 107,103 70,289 8,673 254 49,906 (1,140)	283,591 0 (1,140) 0	275,169 0 (2,169)
Total funds carried forward, 31 Dec		31,575 12,915 107,010 63,587 10,730 324 34,631	260,773	283,591
These balances are held as: Total fixed assets Net current assets		95,260 5,288 31,575 12,915 11,750 58,299 10,730 324 34,631	100,548 160,225	99,232 184,359
Net assets		31,575 12,915 107,010 63,587 10,730 324 34,631	260,773	283,591

4 Financial Review

Note 3. Local Unrestricted Funds (designated) Balance Sheet Summary as at 31st December 2020

	Total	Total	Total	Total
Total fixed assets Land and Buildings Fixtures and Fittings Investments	Notes	Bewdley Church Stretton Malvern Shrews'y Telford Wem Worcester	2020	2019
		95,260 5,288	0 0 100,548	0 0 99,232
Total Fixed Assets		0 0 95,260 5,288 0 0 0	100,548	99,232
Current Assets Debtors Short term deposits Cash at bank and in hand		914 736 25,981 2,603 49,101 2,892 26,755 5,594 12,915 11,382 8,411 8,673 324 8,824	1,650 107,332 56,124	4,233 126,212 57,590
Total Current Assets		31,575 12,915 13,984 58,426 11,565 324 36,315	165,105	188,035
Current Liabilities Creditors within one year Creditors after oneyear		2,234 127 835 1,684	4,880 0	3,676 0
Total Current Liabilities		0 0 2,234 127 835 0 1,684	4,880	3,676
Net Current Assets		31,575 12,915 11,750 58,299 10,730 324 34,631	160,225	184,359
Net Assets		31,575 12,915 107,010 63,587 10,730 324 34,631	260,773	283,591

4 Financial Review

Note 4 Restricted Funds

We only have one restricted fund. Friends in Telford Meeting give money to provide “starter packs”, which are given to homeless young people when a home is found for them by the STAY project. The money is held in a fund by Telford meeting and only spent when starter packs are bought. This money is only available for the purpose for which it was given.

Note 5. Activities to Generate Funds

Most of this income came from the letting of premises. Due to the pandemic the Meeting Houses were empty for most of the year and so income was greatly reduced. The figures were: Bewdley £1200; Malvern £2931; Shrewsbury £1990; Worcester £2,696. This is huge decrease on the previous year.

Note 6. Support costs

These include expenditure on services such as caretaking, casual maintenance, warden and bookkeeping, as well as costs such as rent and maintenance charges for meetings without meeting houses and insurance, utility bills and sundry building maintenance for meetings with meeting houses.

Note 7. Transfers between funds

These consist of 2 elements:

a. Transfers of Quota from Local Meetings to Area Meeting.
b. Transfers of donations between Local Meetings and Area Meeting.

4 Financial Review

Note 8 - Acting as agent

Received Held over previously Collections Paid Over Net Held	Central Bewdley Ch Stretton Malvern Shrewsbury Telford Wem Worcester Total 2020 2019 608 209 569 333 1,719 484 241 2,332 414 2,987 6,113
	0 0 0 608 450 2,901 0 747 4,706 6,597
	323 2,066 491 2,880 4,878
	0 0 0 608 127 835 0 256 1,826 1,719

The table above shows money collected by local meetings Acting as Agents. Bewdley,Church Stretton, and Wem Meetings keep any special collections completely separate from their normal finances and do not “Act as Agents”.

4 Financial Review

Note 9. Land and Buildings

The Value of Worcester Friends Meeting House appears in the accounts of Worcestershire Friends Charity.

The values of Bewdley, Malvern and Shrewsbury Meeting Houses appear in the accounts of the Area Meeting. The Area Meeting Trustees act as Managing Trustees for these properties, with Friends Trusts Ltd. as custodian trustees. Local Meetings have been asked to update the insurance valuation with an actual valuation once every 5 years as part of their quinqennial survey, but all properties were professionally valued at the end of 2019 as follows:

Valuation of Property

Market values: £
Bewdley FMH 150,000
Malvern FMH 350,000
Shrewsbury FMH300,000
Total 800,000
Insurance (rebuild) values: £
Bewdley FMH 217,000
Malvern FMH 308,000
Shrewsbury FMH350,000
Total 875,000

Note 10. Debtors

Debtors are as follows: Shrewsbury QM £914 Worcester QM £736 £1650

Note 11. Creditors

Creditors are as follows: £ Malvern QM 2234 Shrewsbury 127 Telford QM 835 Worcester 1684 4880

All creditors are payable within one year

4 Financial Review ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of accounting

The Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) for accounting by Charities has been followed in so far as it is applicable to these accounts.

Income and expenditure

Accruals and prepayments have been included in the income and expenditure where the amounts are significant and their inclusion will give greater clarity to the financial statements.

Contributions and grants

Contributions and grants are treated as income in the year in which they are received.

Transfers

Movements of money between funds are shown as transfers, and consist of the Quota payable by local meetings to the area meeting, and any other voluntary transfers between meetings.

Interest, dividends, rents, and legacies

These are all taken into account when received and treated as income in the year.

Direct taxation

All the activities of the Area Meeting are charitable and therefore exempt from income tax, capital gains and inheritance tax. There are no trading profits.

Fund accounting

In order to differentiate how Funds can be used, they are categorized according to the following definitions:

Unrestricted: Funds which are freely available for any purpose of the Area Meeting. Designated Funds are a subcategory of these. They have been set aside for specific purposes, but they remain at the discretion of the Area Meeting which can change this purpose at any time.

Restricted: Funds which have been earmarked by the donor or testator for certain specific purposes.

Land and buildings

These consist of the meeting houses which are held for the furtherance of the Area Meeting's charitable objects. See Note 9

Investments

Investments are included at their market or estimated realizable value at 31 December.

Trustees remuneration

No Trustee received any remuneration in respect of service given during the year.

4 Financial Review Independent Examinerfs Report to the Members of WorcoSteh1r@ and Shropshlr• Ar•a M••ting I report on the accounls of the Worcestershire and ShrcpshTrre Area Meetir¥J for the year ended 31st December 2020. whith ate set oul pages 11010 . Respective responsibilities of trustees and independent exarniner The ¢hariWs Iruslees are restM)nsible for the preparation of the awunts. They Isider that the audit requirement of section 43(2> of the Charibes Act 1993 (the Act) does Mt apply. 5115 my re5POn5ibility to 51ale. on the basis of PT(KeduiE5 specified in the General Dire¢tions given by the Charity Commissioneis under Secti 4317Xb) of the A¢1. whelher particular matters have o)me to my attention. Basis of Independènt examinerfs report My examination was CArried out in accordance with the General Direth"ons given by the CharTty Commissioner5. kn examination indudes a reeW of the accounting records kept by the charily and a comparison of the accounts presented wth ihose records. 11 also includes consideration of any unusual ilems CK ¢Jisclosures in th& a¢xountS. 8nfJ seeking explanations from the trustees conceming any suth matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the ewdence that would be required in an audit. and consequently I do not express an audit opinion the eW given by the aLxxJunts. Independent examinorfs sLitemtrnt In connecticN) with my examination. no tter has come to my attenbon {1) whith gives me reasonable cause to believe Ihal in any material respecl Ihe requlrem8nts . to keep a¢Unting reo)rds in accc*dance vrith sedion 41 of the Act., . lo prepare accounts whith ac£ord vth the accounting record5,' and . to comply wilh the accountiro requirements of Ihe Act have not t£en mel: or {2) to whlch, In my oplnion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper undeistanding of the acunIS to be reathed. Signed. Date.. 18

5 Appendices -Local Meeting’s Annual Reports

Quaker Local Meeting Annual Report 2020

Annual Report for Bewdley

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting.

Bewdley Friends and attenders have been fortunate in that everyone has access to internet technology, which has enabled us to continue to maintain contact and to worship as a community in challenging, creative and ultimately rewarding ways. When regulations permitted Premises Committee took diligent action to enable blended meetings to take place, with friends in the meeting house able to see and worship with those projected on the screen in Bewley. Online worship has allowed our young friends to be fully involved in the life of the meeting; each week they enter a break-out room and rejoin us for the final ten minutes, sharing their ministry with us. Once Friends had become more confident in using Zoom, they began to take up the opportunities offered for Worship, by Area Meeting in mid-week Worship, and in joining Woodbrooke and BYM facilitated events.

Elders and Pastoral Care Friends have ensured regular contact with those Friends who were unable to join in either on-line or in person meetings during this period of uncertainty.

Living adventurously and bringing Friends together in as many ways as possible, has continued to strengthen the Spiritual Life of Bewdley Meeting. Our seasonal gathering in December took place on Zoom, and was much enjoyed by all.

(2) Spreading the message of Friends and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Society.

In February we showed a film, ‘The Accidental Anarchist’, which drew an appreciative and interested audience, and hoped this would be the start of many such gatherings, but sadly not. Our meeting house, often a place for visitors to share the experience of stillness, has been closed for much of the year, but we have found ways, often outdoors, to meet when possible and also join the wider circle of Friends through the internet. Our online presence includes a website, but most activity is seen through Facebook. A small group continue to share Quaker experiences and messages from now and across our history, with 160+ followers.

(3) Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad.

Bewdley Friends continue to be a storage centre for donations of clothing for refugees that are collected and distributed to camps throughout Europe. We were able to continue collecting for the Kidderminster Food Bank for the first three months of the year, and Friends made direct contributions after lockdown.

(4) Funding our concerns.

The inability to meet in person seems to have much curtailed our giving, but we did make one significant donation during the year towards supporting a Kenyan Friend to continue to study at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre.

(5) Providing for the pastoral care of individual members and attenders including assistance for those in need and for education.

Friends have continued to meet in new ways in our smaller groups. Friends Fellowship of Healing meet in spirit, and find it quite refreshing to be still and quiet knowing a number of us are gathered to uphold friends. Groups nationwide and abroad hold the needs of their Meeting and individual members in the loving, recreative power of God; to be a channel for healing and so deepen the spiritual life of the Meeting. ‘Time to Talk’ has met regularly to support each other, and meet monthly. ‘Over the time we have each listened to each other, valued the space to meet and share a multiple of things that have perhaps troubled us. We have shared hints and tips on possible ways that have helped some of us overcome problems from our experience, without being a ‘fix it’ group. This is all done in a safe confidential manner of friends.’ Each time we meet we continue to develop our faith and practice.

(6a) Maintaining and developing Quaker Meeting Houses as places of public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world.

The new audio-visual system has been most usefully employed in providing zoom-only and combined meetings.

As parts of the building are listed we require further authorisation for works to be carried out. We have replaced the guttering in sympathy with the age of the building. The main door (from the garden) and casement were showing signs of deterioration and have been sympathetically replaced. The committee have been very active in ensuring the building complies with Covid-19 regulations in order for in-person worship to take place based on government guidelines. Our maintenance schedule showed a need for two new lights, one internal and one external. These have been duly replaced. The maintenance schedule for other appliances & systems is up to date. The oven in the kitchen has also been replaced as the existing one was unsafe. Disabled access into the garden has been improved by way of a ramp, together with hivis edging for the paving stones to delineate the pathway.

(6b) How are we acting sustainably?

An experiment to re-wild the garden is in progress. As individual friends we continue to monitor our own lifestyles and how they impact on the world.

(7) Administering and maintaining our organisation and contributing to the support of Britain Yearly Meeting.

Our treasurer’s report will feed in to the AM treasurers report, but we do note that the inability to let the meeting house has led to a serious drop in income during 2020, as is the case with all meeting houses.

We are fortunate that all posts were filled in 2020, but do not go forward with this confidence.

In addition, trustees need to be satisfied that we are complying with our responsibilities to safeguard children and vulnerable adults in accordance with Area Meeting’s Safeguarding Policy and fulfilling our duties under health and safety legislation. Could you answer the following questions.

8. Are all those working with children appointed in accordance with our policy by:

Procedure	Yes or No + comments
Asking them to complete a helper’s form	Yes
Obtaining references where appropriate	Yes
completing a criminal records disclosure	Yes
Providing induction into health and safety and their role	Yes

9. Are there any arrangements in place for supporting and training those working with children?

Not formally, but quick action was taken as events developed. Early on in lockdown, a group of families and other Friends got together on Zoom to explore what we might do to support the children and young people during this strange and difficult time. We were away from our schools and our friends and we were looking for ways to connect and be together. The move to the internet has done much to give a greater voice to the children themselves: ‘Yes, these past months have had lots of challenges and difficulties, and we all miss seeing people face to face and being with Friends in meeting. But in lots of ways, we have also felt closer and more connected with our Quaker community and with each other than ever have before. It has been much easier to join things, to meet up and to have time together.’

10. For those with a building: Worcester, Malvern, Shrewsbury, and Bewdley

Have you got the following in place?

	Yes or no	Comments
Accident book	Yes
Fire Safety signs Fire Evacuation procedure Fire extinguisher/s maintained and up to date.	Yes
Portable electrical appliance testing	Yes

Health and safety policy reviewed.	Yes	Area Meeting trustees have provided this.

Warning signs in place.	Yes
Conditions of use for hirers	Yes

Quaker Local Meeting Annual Report 2020

Annual Report for Church Stretton Local Meeting

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting

As our contribution to the local churches together Lent offering, we arranged a series of half hour meetings for worship at the library. These were attended by a small but faithful group. Ten days before lockdown in March, the non-Quaker members of the group said they were beginning to feel uncomfortable meeting physically and would it be possible to meet online. John Dennison and Lesley Richards worked together to learn about Zoom and the next week we met online. The group continued to meet beyond the original commitment to do so through Lent and it forms the basis of the Area Meeting Wednesday evening meeting for worship.

We have met each week for worship, online during the lock downs, in a Friend’s garden when we could not meet indoors or in the Sylvester Horne Institute (SHI) when we were able to do so. When we were in the SHI in September and October we met in the large hall where we were able to have chairs well-spaced. However not all Friends have been comfortable with these arrangements and individual Friends have found their own preferred pattern of belonging. At the start of the year, we were holding monthly children’s meetings. When we have met on Zoom the children have often joined us for the last few minutes of worship and stayed to have a drink with us and show us the pictures they have drawn. When we have met physically they have also joined us quite regularly and there has been a lot of space for them to run around without getting close to the rest of us. They have also participated in events organised for children across the whole of AM and wider. We are very conscious that the meeting has not been able to play as full a part as it would like in the spiritual nurture of our children.

(2) Spreading the message of Friends and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Society.

Lesley Richards is convening a group of Friends from the four Area Meetings that cover Wales and the Marches together with Meeting of Friends in Wales (Symud Ymlaen), working towards setting up a single charity while maintaining the five existing bodies.

(3) Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad

A speaker from Quaker Service in Belfast was invited to ‘Engaging Issues’, the next morning a coffee morning for this charity was organised by Church in Together in the Stretton. As a result of this £644.15 was raised.

(4) Funding our concerns.

Church Stretton LM sent £300 to BYM.

(5) Providing for the pastoral care of individual members and attenders including assistance for those in need and for education

Together with Area Meeting we funded Lucy Aphramor to take the Equipping for Ministry course at Woodbrooke. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, the course didn’t run and the money was returned.

A difficult situation occurred during the year. We recognise we did not meet the needs of one of our members and a great deal of hurt was caused. Area Meeting (Elders and Overseers?) held a listening meeting to support our Friend, Attempts were made to set up a meeting to help Local Friends understand the issues. It was felt that these conversations would be better held in person, rather than on Zoom. This meant they were delayed because we could not meet physically because of the pandemic.

Friends who were not comfortable worshipping online sometimes joined us for the chat over coffee. We have maintained contact by phone with those Friends who did not want to use zoom at all.

(6a) Maintaining and developing Quaker Meeting Houses as places of public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world.

n/a

(6b) How are we acting sustainably?

(7) Administering and maintaining our organisation and contributing to the support of Britain Yearly Meeting

We have held regular Local business meetings, physically when possible and online when this is not. These have been well attended, in fact attended by all except the one couple who are not comfortable at all on zoom. We have had a good representation at the on-line AMs. Lesley Richards was appointed to the group reviewing the holding of Yearly Meeting.

8. Are all those working with children appointed in accordance with our policy by:

(There are no formal requirements in the AM policy for anything other than the criminal records disclosure.) The children’s committee feel it is important for the children to get to know all the members of the meeting so working in pairs, everyone has at some time taken responsibility for children’s meeting.


Procedure	Yes or No + comments


Asking them to complete a helper’s form	No

Obtaining references where No appropriate completing a criminal records Yes disclosure Providing induction into health and No safety and their role

9. Are there any arrangements in place for supporting and training those working with children?

When it has been possible to hold our monthly children’s meetings, there was always one more confident and experienced Friend supporting and working with a less confident Friend. We have sometimes used ideas and materials in Journeys in the Spirit supplied by Friends House.

Quaker Local Meeting Annual Report 2020

Annual Report for Malvern

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting:

This has been a challenge, as it has for all Meetings, during the various lockdowns caused by the Covid pandemic. However, our Co-Clerk and her husband swiftly made Zoom Meetings for Worship available, starting on 5[th] April as a 30 minute Meeting for Worship. This has continued every week and was extending to the full hour in October. These Meetings have been well attended and often been deeply gathered.

When they could others worshipped outdoors, following regulations; then for a number of weeks in the Meeting House, duly protected. Our witness for Peace in November was necessarily very low key, as the usual services were cancelled; however, white poppies were again on sale and a white poppy wreath was still placed at the town memorial.

(2) Spreading the message of Friends and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Society.

Discussion groups that the Elders had planned had to be postponed for obvious reasons; but various local Friends have taken the opportunity for on-line Woodbrooke courses, increasing their awareness of Quaker thought and practice.

(3) Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad

Friends in our meeting continue as active Prison Visitors, when regulations allow. Service opportunities have been limited, but we continue to support the relief of suffering through our Special Collections for various charities, for example the Farmers’ Overseas Action Group (FOAG) in Uganda.

(4) Funding our concerns.

Our Collector sent out an appeal letter early in the year, inviting Friends to re-consider their giving to Quaker work locally and nationally and reminding them of the convenience of standing orders direct to our meeting account.

(5) Providing for the pastoral care of individual members and attenders including assistance for those in need and for education

Pastoral care was carried out by phone calls and occasionally emails when it was not possible to meet. We continue to arrange groups of about six in each so that friends are encouraged to keep an eye on, and a listening ear for, others in their group. Zoom Meeting for Worship helped in this also, with some lapsed Friends returning via that route, and new ones ‘finding’ us. (6a) Maintaining and developing Quaker Meeting Houses as places of public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world.

After much thought we decided that, as well as re-surfacing the wheelchair route to access at the rear of the building, we should ask the same contractors to renew the entire surface surrounding the Meeting House, since it had begun to break down.

Our Listed Building status now imposes certain restrictions.

(6b) How are we acting sustainably?

We have for many years used entirely ‘green’ electricity. In addition, we are now getting quotes for a more efficient heating system to replace very old heaters.

(7) Administering and maintaining our organisation and contributing to the support of Britain Yearly Meeting

For the past triennium, our meeting has had two Co-Clerks to deal with administration at local level. This teamwork appeared to work well, with complementary skills from each. We make an annual commitment to send a large donation to BYM, which we have been able to increase in recent years.

8. Are all those working with children appointed in accordance with our policy by:


Procedure	Yes or No + comments


Asking them to complete a helper’s form	Yes.


Obtaining references where appropriate	This has not been applicable recently.


completing a criminal records disclosure	Yes


Providing induction into health and safety and their role	This has not been applicable recently

9. Are there any arrangements in place for supporting and training those working with children?

Yes.

10. For those with a building: Worcester, Malvern, Shrewsbury, and Bewdley

Have you got the following in place?

ave you got the following in	place?

	Yes or no	Comments

Accident book	Yes

Fire Safety signs Fire Evacuation procedure Fire extinguisher/s maintained and up to date.	Yes to 1 and 3 in this box


Portable electrical appliance testing	Yes	Not in use since first lockdown began.


Health and safety policy reviewed.	Yes


Warning signs in place.	Yes


Conditions of use for hirers	Yes

Quaker Local Meeting Annual Report 2020

Annual Report for ……Shrewsbury………………………………………

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting

We have maintained a weekly worship throughout the year. This has been in person where possible, via zoom when prevented during lockdown and also outside when permitted by government rules.
We have held a number of blended meetings for worship, combining Friends worshiping in the Meeting House with those worshiping on line via zoom.
We have installed wifi into our Meeting so that we can continue to hold blended meetings even after the difficulties associated with the pandemic are over.
We have strengthened out ties with churches together and area meeting through regular contact .

(2) Spreading the message of Friends and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Society.

Our Light Group has continued to meet where possible. This has been in person in the Meeting House and some have also joined an international Light Group via zoom from time to time.
Our website presence has been considerably modernised and now links effectively with other appropriate sites including BYM
We have used zoom to offer a range of discussions for enquirers and attenders after Meeting for Worship.

(3) Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad

We have had limited use of our Meeting House since March because of the pandemic legislation. Prior to that we provided free rental for our Syrian refugees and Sapphire groups as well as providing low cost rental for a number of local community groups.

• (4) Funding our concerns.

We give annually to a number of local and Quaker charities and have increased our contribution to the food hub to £25 a month
We have given a grant of £500 to YFGM from the Gawen Harvey legacy fund.

(5) Providing for the pastoral care of individual members and attenders including assistance for those in need and for education

Our Pastoral Care Friends have maintained regular contact with Friends and attenders, despite the difficulties incurred during the recent pandemic.

(6a) Maintaining and developing Quaker Meeting Houses as places of public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world.

We have maintained our premises despite the Meeting House being closed for much of the year. Our caretaker has inspected it weekly and our cleaner has continued to ensure that the fabric of the building is looked after
We conducted a full risk assessment prior to opening in August and have continued to abide by the rules and regulations that have been in place throughout the pandemic
The quintennial inspection was carried out in July and any recommendations have been implemented

(6b) How are we acting sustainably?

We have solar panels on the roof of the meeting house which generate a significant amount of energy over the year
We have ensured that our energy provider is ethical and provides green energy

(7) Administering and maintaining our organisation and contributing to the support of Britain Yearly Meeting

We have been able to absorb a drop in income of over £7000 from rentals due to the nonavailability of the Meeting House because of pandemic regulations. As a result, we are able to report that our finances remain strong.

8. Are all those working with children appointed in accordance with our policy by:

Procedure	Yes or No + comments


Asking them to complete a helper’s form	n/a


Obtaining references where appropriate	n/a


completing a criminal records disclosure	n/a


Providing induction into health and safety and their role	n/a

9. Are there any arrangements in place for supporting and training those working with children?

We currently have no children attending our meeting

10. For those with a building: Worcester, Malvern, Shrewsbury, and Bewdley

Have you got the following in place?

ave you got the following in	place?

	Yes or no	Comments

Accident book	Yes

Fire Safety signs Fire Evacuation procedure Fire extinguisher/s maintained and up to date.	Yes yes


Portable electrical appliance testing	Yes


Health and safety policy reviewed.	Yes


Warning signs in place.	Yes


Conditions of use for hirers	Yes

Quaker Local Meeting Annual Report 2020

Annual Report for Telford Meeting

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting

The effects of the pandemic created challenges in 2020, some of which may be viewed in a positive light. For example:

We were sorry that being unable to meet in person for much of the year excluded a few members and attenders who cannot or choose not to join Meeting for Worship (MfW) online on Sundays. However, some Friends joined us online who have been unable to get to MfW in person for a long time. We maintained contact with everyone by phone, email, card and letters. Our elders offered a suggested reading from Quaker faith and practice for each MfW on Sundays, Thursdays and monthly on Fridays (Bridgnorth). Those who wish can read the same passage at home at the start of each MfW as a way of keeping us together as one worshiping community. A few of our Meetings were blended: online and in person.

It was difficult to find times when our children and young people could meet together in person. The priority in 2020 was to keep in touch as an all-age community. A private cinema trip (Covid-safe) was a highlight but other plans were cancelled by lockdown. The committee met occasionally with the youngsters online and between them they organised a very successful quiz event which raised a substantial sum for the ShelterBox charity. We submitted pictures of ourselves when very young and then had to guess who we all were!

Our various regular groups continued as follows: discussion group (online), Experiment with Light (virtual) and Friends Fellowship of Healing group (online and virtual).

We actively sought ways to strengthen our community during the restrictions on meeting in person. A Friend held a garden meeting twice during the summer for the allowed 6 people. There were a few walks and occasional online events including a quiz, afternoon tea and, on Christmas Day, a coffee morning.

(2) Spreading the message of Friends and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Society.

We were not allowed to organise a public peace vigil on Remembrance Sunday but two Friends stood quietly at Wellington Peace garden.

(3) Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad

We continued to support the STAY housing project by donating packs of essential household items for new residents which they can take with them when they move on. Friends donated money for this and one Friend purchased items and assembled the packs. Friends in Broseley have continued to help run the food bank there but we were unable to collect donation items on Sundays. Many Friends gave to their local food banks. Other Friends were active in a refugee group, Wellington Peace Garden, Telford Interfaith Council and arranging Food for Thought talks (as members of Broseley Churches Together).

(4) Funding our concerns.

In 2020, our special collections were for Quaker Social Action, Tree Aid, Friends Housing Bursary Trust and ShelterBox. While we were unable to collect cash, we provided Friends with the information needed so that they could donate direct to these charities. As a Meeting, we subscribed to Telford Christians Together and Broseley Churches Together.

(5) Providing for the pastoral care of individual members and attenders including assistance for those in need and for education

Pastoral care Friends (formerly overseers) and elders joined together near the start of the pandemic in their common aim of supporting the Meeting and Friends. Towards the end of 2020, with the new Area Meeting appointments in place, it was agreed to function as two separate groups again. Following the encouragement of Area Meeting, plans were underway to involve more people in pastoral care – more of that to come in the 2021 report!

During 2020, we were saddened to lose four of our members. Two funerals were held in the manner of Friends and we held one memorial meeting. It is hoped to hold a further memorial meeting in 2021 for the fourth Friend.

(6a) Maintaining and developing Quaker Meeting Houses as places of public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world.

Throughout 2020, we were in contact with Area Meeting trustees and the manager of Meeting Point House, working with them to arrange Meetings for Worship while it was still possible and to comply with the requirements of the pandemic. A small group of Friends was appointed to carry out the practical aspects of this.

Our appointed representative is active on the board of Meeting Point Trustees.

Our notice boards, leaflet racks and sail banner are not currently visible or available for outreach (in common with all Quaker Meetings). There were no events where we might have had ‘a Quaker presence’. We look forward to the development of the new Area Meeting website which will include information about our meeting.

We do not have a Meeting House so would not normally be able to offer a space for other groups to meet. An unexpected benefit of the pandemic has been that we have been able to offer the use of our Zoom account to other groups who need somewhere to meet online.

(6b) How are we acting sustainably?

Unfortunately, the pandemic has increased the use of plastic and disposable products generally but holding meetings online will have had a beneficial impact on the environment, with the reduction in travel, heating and lighting etc. When we were able to meet in person at Meeting Point House, we had started to use the former chapel, which has an external door. This helped to reduce the risk of infection for those attending and the staff member looking after us. It also meant that the manager did not have to open up and heat the first floor of the building just for us.

(7) Administering and maintaining our organisation and contributing to the support of Britain Yearly Meeting

Our Meeting made a donation to BYM funds in addition to individual donations. We continue to contribute to appeals for other Meeting Houses’ repairs and building costs.

8. Are all those working with children appointed in accordance with our policy by:

Each member of our Children and Young Peoples Committee has clearance from the DBS scheme. These Friends are appointed through the usual Quaker nomination process so application forms and references are not felt to be needed or appropriate. Health and Safety regulations are the responsibility of Meeting Point House.


Procedure	Yes or No + comments


Asking them to complete a helper’s form	No. Only appointed members of our Children and Young People’s Committee do this work.


Obtaining references where appropriate	No. Only appointed members of our Children and Young People’s Committee do this work.


completing a criminal records disclosure	Yes


Providing induction into health and safety and their role	No

9. Are there any arrangements in place for supporting and training those working with children?

We do not provide training but we encourage and support members of our CYP Committee to make use of materials provided by Britain Yearly Meeting and to attend relevant support meetings, courses and conferences.

Our overall programme is decided by the CYP Committee. It is modified as needed to be appropriate for whichever young people attend on any particular Sunday. Each session is planned by the pair of workers who will run the session. If a new worker joins the group, s/he will work initially with a more experienced person.

10. For those with a building: Worcester, Malvern, Shrewsbury, and Bewdley

Have you got the following in place?

ave you got the following in	place?

	Yes or no	Comments

Accident book

Fire Safety signs Fire Evacuation procedure Fire extinguisher/s maintained and up to date.


Portable electrical appliance testing


Health and safety policy reviewed.


Warning signs in place.


Conditions of use for hirers

Quaker Local Meeting Annual Report 2020

Annual Report for Worcester Meeting for the year 2020

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting

Meeting for Worship has been held via Zoom for much of the year following the lockdown due to the Corona Virus Pandemic. Whilst the Meeting House was open in the early part of the year, Meeting for Worship was held on Sunday and Wednesday. Once the Meeting House was closed on 23 March, Meetings were held via Zoom. Initially, Sunday MfW was held for 30 minutes, but from 19 April it reverted to the normal 1 hour and has remained at that ever since. After a while, the Wednesday Meeting for worship was cancelled owing to very low attendance. The Meeting house reopened on 13 September, following an extensive risk assessment. At that time our Meetings became blended with members attending both at the Meeting House and via Zoom. Attendance at both Zoom and blended meetings has been fairly consistent with around 20 people present. The Meeting House was closed again, in line with Government Guidelines, from 5 November.

Owing to the complications caused by the various lockdowns, it has been difficult to maintain any formal study groups. We have, however managed to hold a number of social events via Zoom.

The Zero Carbon Future Project continued to develop during 2020, even though the funding for the project through Friends House did not materialise. It developed as a local project, involving a number of local organisations and is now ‘The Worcester Grassroots Alliance’, which is now supported by Area Meeting as a whole, rather than just Worcester Meeting.

Again, owing to the pandemic, there have been no childen attending Meeting since 2020. Small numbers of children attended MFW on one Sunday during January and Frebruary.

We discussed Simpler Meetings at our Meetings for Worship for Business and action will be discussed during our first MfWfB in 2021.

We have had one shared lunch in February which was followed by an impromptu concert.

We have had one 'Craftivism' session in February to create bookmarks to given away at the World Day of Prayer evening session which was held at the Meeting House in March. A small number of Friends have continued to support Café Mix, by meeting for lunch each month, until it was prevented by the pandemic.

(2) Spreading the message of Friends and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Society.

We were delighted to hold the evening World Day of Prayer event in early 2020 where over 50 people attended.

We continue to produce a Newsletter three times a year. It is being distributed within the Meeting as well as copies being available for visitors to take away.

Notices are emailed to all those who are on our list as and when they are given to the Clerks. Paper copies are provided for those not on email. We continue to make available the minutes for both Local and Area Meeting for Worship for Business, and keep copies in the Clerks Information File held in the Meeting House.

Our participation in inter-church activities has continued over the last year with our attendance at the Worcestershire Interfaith Forum (WIFF) via Zoom.

Extinction Rebellion continued to use a room at the Meeting House until it was not possible due to Covid 19 Government restrictions.

(3) Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad

We regularly support Maggs Day Centre in Worcester and the local Worcester Street Café

At home we have supported diverse charities for the vulnerable and the sick. We have also collected and given items of food to the local food bank when that was possible.

The Meeting has continued to support two Uganda based charities with funds, skills and practical input into events.

(4) Funding our concerns

As we have been unable to hold a normal charity collection for much of the year, the meeting has donated £150 to each of the charities nominated for this year, from its own funds.

(5) Providing for the pastoral care of individual members and attenders including assistance for those in need and for education

Elders and Overseers have met regularly and keep a loving watch on the Meeting. Also, in accordance with Advices and Queries 1.05 'Duty of Reading' a paragraph from Advices and Queries is read out and recorded each month at Sunday Meeting for Worship (MfW).

Elders and Overseers have encouraged friends to complete a Funeral Wishes form.

(6) Maintaining and developing Quaker Meeting Houses as places of public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world.

Our Resident Friend has continued to extend a friendly welcome to users of our Meeting House when it has been possible. Unfortunately due to Government restrictions use of the Meeting House has been greatly restricted

The Meeting House and garden are well maintained and we are thankful for the work of our cleaner and contract gardener. Those using the Meeting house very often spend time in the quiet of our garden.

(7) Sustainability

We have changed to a ‘Green’ energy supplier during the year..

(8) Administering and maintaining our organisation and contributing to the support of Britain Yearly Meeting

In addition trustees need to be satisfied that we are complying with our responsibilities to safeguard children and vulnerable adults in accordance with Area Meeting’s Safeguarding Policy and fulfilling our duties under health and safety legislation. Could you answer the following questions?

(9) Are all those working with children appointed in accordance with our policy by?

Procedure	Yes or No + comments
Asking them to complete a helpers form	Yes
Obtaining references where appropriate	No
Completing a DBS disclosure	Yes
Providing induction into health and safety and their role	Yes

(10) Are there any arrangements in place for supporting and training those working with children?

We have a convener of Children’s Meeting who provides guidance.

(11) For those with a building: Worcester, Malvern, Shrewsbury, and Bewdley

Have you got the following in place?

	Yes or No	Comments
Accident book	Yes
Fire Safety signs Fire Evacuation procedure Fire extinguisher/s maintained and up to date.	Yes
Portable electrical appliance testing	Yes
Health and safety policyreviewed.	Yes
Warning signs in place.	Yes
Conditions of use for hirers	Yes