2021-12-31-accounts - Worcestershire And Shropshire Area Quaker Meeting

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Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Quaker Meeting Trustees Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Charity Number 1175399

Clerk to Trustees,

22 Claughton Street, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 6PU Email: marilynfoxall@hotmail.co.uk

Telephone: 01562 741501

Enjoying the Garden of Bewdley Meeting House!

Contents: Page:

1.	Officers during 2021	2
2.	Information and Governance	3
3.	Public Benefit Achievements and Activities	5

4. Appendix 1 - Local Meeting Annual Reports 11

1. Officers during 2021

Clerking Team:

Lynda Prescott Worcester Local Meeting Martin Layton Bewdley Local Meeting

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

Treasurer: Rachael Swancott Boon Telford Local Meeting

Area Meeting Trustees who served during 2021:

Marilyn Foxall (Clerk) Bewdley Local Meeting Rachael Swancott Boon (Treasurer) Shrewsbury Local Meeting Peter Bevan Malvern Local Meeting Rae Evans Telford Local Meeting Paul Mountain Worcester 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 & Practice (5[th] Edition), Chapter 14, is used to compile this report.

2.1 Trustees normally meet at least four times a year. All meetings were conducted according to Quaker business method. In 2021 trustees had five meetings and the following items of business were considered, details are available in the minutes of these meetings:

Dated: 20[th] January 2021

i)
ii) Constitution for our CIO dated 1[st] January 2017. iii) Memorandum of Understanding. iv) Audit of Policy Documents.
v)
vi) Covid Restrictions. vii) Wem Local Meeting. viii) Annual Report.

Dated: 23[rd] February 2021

i) Worcester Grassroots Alliance. ii) Personal Liability/Indemnity Insurance for Trustees. iii) Tabular Statement Quota.
iv) v) Laying down of Wem Local Meeting.

Dated: 12[th] April 2021 i) Safeguarding. ii) Trustees’ Personal Liability Insurance.

iii) Communications from our Friend at Wem. iv) Reopening our places of worship. Risk Assessments. v) Owning our Quaker Properties – Discussion.

Dated: 14[th] July 2021 i)

ii) Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
iii) Further communications with our Friend at Wem.
iv) Coalbrookdale Burial Ground.
v) Trustees’ Annual Report.

Dated: 13[th] October 2021

i) Equality, Diversion and Inclusion – Training
ii) Elders’ visit and pastoral care for our Friend at Wem.
iii) Coalbrookdale Burial Ground – Maintenance.
iv) Trustees’ responsibility for safe record keeping.
v) Receipt of Trustees’ annual report.
vi) Lifting restrictions in our places of worship.

3. Public Benefit Achievements and Activities within the Area Meeting in 2021

3.1 Membership information for 2021

Tabular Statement

There were four new members recorded during the year, two by convincement and two by transfers in. There were no transfers out and one person resigned their membership. There were six deaths during the year. The net result is that total membership decreased by three from one hundred and seventy-nine members to one hundred and seventy-six.

Name of Local Meeting	Adults	Children	Total
BEWDLEY
Members	30	0	30
Attenders	6	4	10
CHURCH STRETTON
Members	11	0	11
Attenders	2	2	4
MALVERN
Members	30	0	30
Attenders	26	0	26
SHREWSBURY
Members	34	0	34
Attenders	26	2	28
TELFORD
Members	33	0	33
Attenders	15	3	18
WORCESTER
Members	36	0	36
Attenders	21	2	23
UNATTACHED
Members	2	0	2
Area Meeting Total
Members	176		176
Attenders	98	11	109

3.2 Strengthening the life and witness of Quaker Meetings

2021 continued to present challenges for everyone as the COVID-19 pandemic remained a concern. Throughout the year Government guidelines and restrictions changed according to infection rates and the need for more or fewer safety

measures. All Local Meetings met these challenges, continuing Meetings for Worship, either online, blended, in person or outdoors, as appropriate.

Many Meetings increased their expertise and improved technical equipment to make online meetings more efficient and user-friendly. A positive outcome of online meetings was that it enabled fellowship for those who were isolating or physically unable to attend in person, Friends in other areas, as well as Friends from abroad.

The Area Meeting (mid-week) Meeting for Worship was held online each week.

Elders and Pastoral Care Friends ensured that regular readings from Advices and Queries, and Quaker Faith & Practice were shared during worship and Area Meeting for Worship for Business.

Bewdley, Church Stretton and Telford Friends continued to involve their Children’s Meetings in worship, either online or outdoors when indoor meetings were not permitted. Malvern’s ‘Little Friends’ Meeting for young children continued meeting once a month when appropriate. Worcester Friends monthly Children’s Meeting stopped after February 2020 and has not restarted. Shrewsbury’s children did not attend their meeting during 2021.

Keeping Friends in touch with each other has not been easy and in some instances has resulted in fluctuating attendance or disengagement. Some Meetings have felt fractured and in need of a time of healing. However, despite the limitations and difficulties, most Local Meetings organised a range of online or in-person garden events to encourage all age interaction and strengthen the life of their Meeting.

For details of these events see Local Meeting reports in appendix 1.

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. However, in July Bewdley Friends hosted a garden social and ‘Black Lives Matter’ walk around Bewdley for Area Meeting Friends. In the autumn, Worcester Friends hosted an in-person, one-day course for attenders across Area Meeting, which was well supported. Malvern Friends continued to provide Peace Education in Malvern schools and were involved in a number of public witnesses in Malvern. Church Stretton Friends each wrote a

piece for the ‘Stretton Focus’ magazine on some aspect of living as a Quaker. Shrewsbury Friend’s Light Group held their monthly meetings whenever possible. Telford Friends helped to arrange ‘Food for Thought Talks’ with Broseley Churches Together.

Worcester Friends continued to produce a newsletter and Bewdley Friends have used social media to remind the world of their Quaker values and Quaker Faith & Practice .

Some Friends joined in Woodbrooke and Britain Yearly Meeting facilitated events online, when available, which has increased their awareness of Quaker thought and practice. Some of these events were on the theme of COP26 and on the 31[st] October, many Friends from Area Meeting joined in an online special Meeting for Worship in which we upheld communities affected by climate change, and those taking action to defend the environment.

A second local meeting website has been linked on the Quaker Meetings Network, as we continued to work towards having an integrated family of websites, including one for Area Meeting.

Local Meetings with Meeting Houses continued to hire out rooms, when permitted in line with Covid restrictions, to support community activities in line with Quaker values.

For details of all these events and more, see Local Meeting reports, in Appendix 1.

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

The effects of the pandemic were notable in terms of the service Local Meetings could offer for the relief of suffering. Since the numbers of Friends attending their meetings in person dropped considerably, practical collections for food banks, clothes and support for refugees or cash donations from Local Meetings were reduced or stopped. However, individually Friends continued to donate and support where and when they could.

The following are examples of Quaker service in action. Telford Friends continued to support the STAY housing project, the Wellington Peace Garden and Telford Interfaith Council. Church Stretton Friends worked with Stretton Churches Together, to provide computers for school children. Malvern Friends continued as active Prison

Visitors when the pandemic regulations allowed. ‘The Worcester Grassroots Alliance’ project continued working towards its vision in Worcester. Shrewsbury Friends provided free space in their meeting house for the use of Syrian refugees and a self-help group.

Wider participation is also 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

Although Local Meetings were not asked to provide financial support to Britain Yearly Meeting, some Meetings chose to send a donation.

Most Local Meetings made some donations or grants to their chosen concerns. Malvern Friends funded their Active Peace Education Project in local schools, Shrewsbury and Bewdley Friends gave money to their local Food Hub and Telford Friends subscribed to Broseley Churches Together.

Local Friends continued to make individual donations to Quaker led charities and other charities of particular interest to Friends.

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

The persistent presence of the pandemic continued the need and responsibility for providing care and keeping a watching brief on all Friends. As well as Elders and Pastoral Care Friends, other Friends actively shared in this care and tried to ensure that no one was left out. A variety of methods were used to remain in contact with Friends in need, such as, in person visits when appropriate, telephone calls, emails, letters and cards.

Malvern Friends participated in a Restoring Relations process. Bewdley Friends held two, online, ‘Time to Talk’ sessions. Telford Friends added three more Friends to their Pastoral Care Team working together in the service of the Meeting.

Fellowship of Healing groups continued to meet in person, when and where appropriate, and in Spirit, throughout the lockdowns. They also kept contact with the people on their lists.

Elders and Pastoral Care Friends made visits to our Friend in Wem.

Specific ongoing assistance to Local Meetings continues to be 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 and Telford Friends do not have their own meeting houses.

Church Stretton Friends experienced some challenges in renting appropriate premises during 2021 and they are continuing to consider alternative places in which to hold their Meetings for Worship.

Telford Friends hold a licence to worship in Meeting Point House (an ecumenical building). This licence is due for renewal in 2025 and negotiations are already taking place to outline a mutually acceptable legal agreement. During 2021 Telford Friends had use of the ‘old chapel’ room which they found quieter and more to their liking than their usual room.

Bewdley, Malvern, Shrewsbury and Worcester Friends have meeting houses which were well maintained and regularly checked through the periods of lockdown. Regular reviews of their condition were made. Shrewsbury Friends made extensive improvements to their garden, boundary fence and general accessibility to the outside area.

Once the pandemic restrictions allowed, our meeting houses reopened with COVID secure arrangements in place so that in-person Meetings for Worship could resume safely. Also, rentals to groups in the wider community began again in the autumn of 2021.

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

Area Meeting met nine times during 2021. All Meetings for Worship for Business were held online on Zoom. Representatives from each Local Meeting attended all

the Area Meeting’s Meetings for Worship for Business. In February 2021 Area Meeting made the difficult decision to lay down Wem Local Meeting.

All Local Meetings held their own regular Meetings for Worship for Business.

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

A Church Stretton Friend has continued working with Friends from Wales (Symud Ymlaen), Southern Marches and Scotland. She has also spoken on online training sessions, run by Jonathan Carmichael as part of the simpler meetings project.

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, health and safety legislation, and COVID-19 restrictions.

Church Stretton Friends are in the process of making provision for all aspects to be covered by Friends working with their Children’s Meeting.

3.10 Sustainability Considerations

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

Bewdley Friends have a computer-controlled heating system so that heating was only used where necessary. They also became affiliated to the Wyre Forest Green Alliance.

Malvern Friends used entirely green electricity and installed destratification fans to their heating system.

Shrewsbury Friends have solar panels that generate a good deal of electricity. Worcester Friends sought advice about sustainability with reference to replacing the meeting house boiler.

Appendix 1 Local Meeting’s Annual Reviews

Bewdley Local Meeting

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting

2021 has continued to be a very difficult year for the Meeting despite some Covid restrictions being lifted and re-imposed at various times.

We have been thankful for the continued technical support enabling blended meetings to be possible week by week. Friends have worked together to 'fine tune' the technical side of things at the Meeting House.

Elders & PC Friends have tried hard to keep in touch with Members and the wider community and with such activities as virtual coffee mornings, virtual poetry readings etc. The outcome of lockdowns and subsequent government guidelines has not been without cost. As we moved towards the end of the summer, we became aware that there was a growing feeling of disengagement amongst some Friends.

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

Unable to meet in person for much of the year, and with many friends still too cautious to attend the meeting house there has been little opportunity to develop our mutual spiritual journeys. However, a few Friends have made much use of social media to remind the world of Quaker faith and practice; one Friend in particular has given much service in this way.

In July we hosted a large group of Friends from across the area meeting for a picnic and an exploration of Bewdley’s ‘Black History Tour’, something which alerted us to our heritage which has often been one of exploitation of enslaved people, but also of the contribution of local Quakers to the fight against slavery. A very detailed accompanying leaflet was provided by the Bewdley Anti-racism Group.

(3) Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad We have been too fractured as a community to undertake work in these areas.

(4) Funding our concerns.

Contributions by members fell in 2021, possibly because of the lack of weekly cash collections, and possibly because of the death of a number of local members. Two grants totally £100 were made to other organisations.

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

Pastoral carers continue to maintain contact with as many Friends as possible. We held two sessions via Zoom of ‘Time to Talk, in January and April, when friends were able to share in confidence their own experiences of mental health.

No assistance for those in need or for education was allocated in 2021.

(6a) Maintaining and developing Quaker Meeting Houses as places of public worship and from which to carry our witness into the world. Much work has been done by our premises committee to maintain the fabric and tradition of our meeting house, and continues to be done, for which they have our deep gratitude. All equipment has been maintained or replaced, and new features introduced. We let our building to an increasing number of users who see our simple message and our witness.

(6b) How are we acting sustainably?

Our heating is controlled by a computerised system so that it is on only when necessary. Our use of blended meeting has the effect of reducing car usage. Our garden is in the process of re-wilding. We have affiliated to Wyre Forest Green Alliance and a small number of friends are active in this and other green initiatives.

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

No donation was made to BYM during 2021.

All necessary returns of information were completed during 2021.

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, but no new helpers in 2021. Obtaining references where appropriate Yes completing a criminal records disclosure Yes	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, but no new helpers in 2021. Obtaining references where appropriate Yes completing a criminal records disclosure Yes	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, but no new helpers in 2021. Obtaining references where appropriate Yes completing a criminal records disclosure Yes

	Procedure	Yes or No + comments


	Asking them to complete a helper’s form	Yes, but no new helpers in 2021.


	Obtaining references where appropriate	Yes


	completing a criminal records disclosure	Yes

Providing induction into health and Yes safety and their role

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

Yes, but this did not arise in 2021.

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	In the kitchen, and PW looks after this.

Fire Safety signs Fire Evacuation procedure Fire extinguisher/s maintained and up to date.	Yes	Premises committee look after this.


Portable electrical appliance testing	Yes	Ditto


Health and safety policy reviewed.	Yes	Ditto


Warning signs in place.	Yes	Ditto


Conditions of use for hirers	Yes	The clerk provides this to hirers.

Completed by Colin Billett, clerk of Bewdley LM

Church Stretton Local Meeting

1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting
We have met as a meeting each week except for during August. For much of the year we met on line, meeting with Shrewsbury Meeting for much of this time. When Shrewsbury begun holding blended meetings, we continued to worship with them on line. We started to meet again in person in July. There are often between a third and a half of Friends from Church Stretton at the Area Meeting’s Wednesday evening meeting for worship. In November we started holding a fortnightly study group looking at the book ’A Guided Life’ by Craig Barnett which has been attended by nine of the adults in the meeting.
2) Spreading the message of Friends and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Society
We have continued to share around the meeting, the responsibility of writing a piece for the ‘Stretton Focus’ magazine. This means that each month the local community has in front of them a different take on some aspect of living as a Quaker.
3) Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad It came to the notice of Churches Together in the Strettons that a number of the students were unable to access education while the schools were closed, because they did not have access to computers. We were able to contribute to the community’s effort to supply theses children with computers from our legacy fund.
4) Funding our concerns
5) Providing for the pastoral care of individual members and attenders including assistance for those in need and for education
We have managed to stay in touch with all Friends associated with our meeting. Sometimes this has had to be by telephone or email as they have moved away from Stretton or have significant health problems. We have been able to continue social interchange despite the difficulties imposed by restrictions on meeting up. We have been able to offer lifts, gardening, and information.
Our children often come to meeting and now sometimes come for the whole hour even when there is not a specific children’s meeting. Children’s meeting started up again on the third Sunday of the month in October when the children asked the adults why they came to meeting and produced a word cloud from their answers (see photo). In December we had a socially distanced and much enjoyed ‘nativity play’ which felt like a celebration of our being together.

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

When we first returned to meeting together in person, we used the large hall in the Sylvestor Horne Institute which provided ample space to sit at a distance from one another. In September we returned to our usual space in committee room one. We are not always comfortable with the level of maintenance and caretaking so we have looked at other options. In July we all looked at the refurbished Scout hut and held a business meeting in Charles West’s carport to consider whether we might move there. We decided there were too many things that turned out not to be possible with the Scout Hut so we remain in the SHI.

One of our members toured Scottish Friends during September and her report has contributed to their discussions weighing up the problems of meeting in hired spaces against the effort needed to maintain a meeting house.

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

Many of our members have attend the online Area Meetings held during the year. One of our members is working with Friends in Wales and the Marches doing the preparatory work towards setting up a single charity. She is also working with Friends in Scotland trying to find ways of reducing the time spent running their meetings. She has spoken on a number of online training sessions run by Jonathan Carmichael as part of the simpler meetings project. She is on the BYM committee reviewing the holding of Yearly Meeting and Yearly Meeting Gathering.

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

Procedure	Yes/No	Comments
Asking them to complete a helper’s form	No	This needs to happen, but has not yet. We aim for all members of the meeting, except for their parents, take a turn in meeting with the children.
Obtaining appropriate references	No
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?

Members of the meeting who feel confident working with the children, work in a pair with someone who feels less confident.

Telford Local Meeting

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting

We were not out of the grips of the pandemic entirely all year but by September we were able to hold our Business Meetings on Sundays again, in person as well as online (“blended”).

Our elders continued to provide all of us with an Advice to be read at our Thursday lunchtime meetings, both at home and when we resumed them in person. We asked someone from the blended Sunday meeting to choose a reading from Quaker Faith & Practice and for the monthly Friday meetings in Bridgnorth. The meetings in Bridgnorth never took place online.

Meetings for our young people have improved now they are able to meet in person, generally twice a month. But of the 5 present members the age range varies from 10-16 and we are about to explore ways to involve our young people with the whole meeting from time to time. A very successful private film show was enjoyed in the autumn.

Our various regular groups continued as follows: discussion group (online), Experiment with Light (in person) and Friends Fellowship of Healing group (blended). We were able to hold a social gathering at the home of a member just before Christmas and an on-line meeting on Boxing Day.

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

A one-day course for Attenders was held at Worcester Meeting in person in the autumn, which was welcomed and well supported. This of course drew from our Area Meeting range. The continued effects of the pandemic prevented any further activities.

Our webpage has been refreshed and is linked to the area meeting site. Friends helped to arrange Food for Thought talks (as members of Broseley Churches Together) once the venue for the latter was opened for use again.

(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 continue to donate money for this and one Friend has purchased and assembled the packs with help locally. Friends in Broseley have continued to help run the food bank there but we were still not collecting donation items, even from those present in person on Sundays. Many Friends gave to their local food banks.

Other Friends were active in a refugee group, organising a walk and picnic lunch for them in Ironbridge during the summer. Work continued on the Wellington Peace Garden and with Telford Interfaith Council (delivering food boxes and Christmas dinners).

(4) Funding our concerns

During 2021, our special collections were for The Howard League for Penal Reform, Telford Samaritans, Quaker Congo Partnership UK and the Refugee Centre in Wolverhampton. 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 Broseley Churches Together.

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

During 2021 our Pastoral Care Friends asked 3 more people to join the team and to function together, which they have done, using more talents in the service of the Meeting.

We held a short memorial meeting for George Evans on his birthday (25[th] June) at the Peace Garden in Wellington. We were prevented by pandemic rules from holding any other memorial meetings this year.

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

During the early part of 2021 we were still meeting online only while maintaining good contact with the managers of Meeting Point House so that, when allowed we were able to resume meetings in person from September onwards. At first not all of the building was open for hire and we were encouraged to use a room on the ground floor to save heating all the building. We have found the ‘old chapel’ (as it was) very much to our liking and much quieter than our old room on the first floor.

We have remained in contact with Meeting Point trustees through our representative, who is also an Area Meeting trustee.

Our licence to use premises in Meeting Point House is due for renewal in 2025 at the latest so we have been active with managers to explore ways of doing this which are acceptable to them as well as to ourselves, before drawing up a legal agreement with our area meeting trustees.

We hope to be able to move our notice boards, books etc to the room we are at present using early in 2022.

(6b) How are we acting sustainably?

Continuing to hold our meetings as ‘blended’ undoubtedly saves some costs of travel, heating and lighting. We see no change in this arrangement for the foreseeable future.

Individually and personally we try to make further changes in our lifestyles to try to help the country to reach the COP 26 requirements and save the planet.

(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:


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

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.

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.

Shrewsbury Local Meeting

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting

We maintained an online worshipping presence on a weekly basis during second lockdown when we were not allowed to meet in person.
We joined with Church Stretton meeting each Sunday throughout the lockdown period to ensure an adequate number of Friends were able to worship together. This arrangement continued until Church Stretton were able to hold their in-person Meetings again.
Since lock down finished, we have held weekly blended Meetings for Worship which have become our usual way of worship. This has enabled us to meet together even when some have prevented by illness, weather difficulties or traffic issues.
Social events have been much appreciated by Friends in the Meeting including a Summer Gathering.
(2) Spreading the message of Friends and interpreting and developing the thought and practice of the Society.
Our Light Group has continued to meet monthly wherever possible, usually in person but occasionally on line as well
(3) Undertaking Quaker service for the relief of suffering at home and abroad
Our Meeting continues to offer the use of the Meeting House for free to both the Syrian refugees and the self-harming support group. We also have links with our local community and offer low-cost rental to groups where their interests are in keeping with our testimonies

(4) Funding our concerns.

Friends are sent a yearly reminder about the schedule and our treasurer also completes the paperwork to claim gift aid whenever possible possible.
We give a monthly payment to the Food Hub and make annual donations to an agreed list of charities, both Quaker and those in our local area.

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

Our pastoral Friends have kept in regular contact with Friends despite the difficulties associated with the 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 regularly inspected our building, even during the months when it was closed, and our cleaner and caretaker have continued to ensure that we have been COVID secure.
Extensive improvements have been made in the garden to both the boundary fence and the general accessibility so that Friends are able to enjoy spending time outside.

(6b) How are we acting sustainably?

Our solar panels continue to generate a good deal of electricity which we are able to use to offset some of our energy costs.

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

Our rental income has been significantly reduced
Contributions have been made to BYM by Friends in the Meeting.
We have sufficient funds in our Meting Account to ensure that we are able to maintain the fabric of the building and meet our regular outgoings.
Our treasurer is looking towards a claim from our insurers for the lost income following the closures due to the pandemic.

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	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	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

	Procedure	Yes or No + comments


	Asking them to complete a helper’s form

Obtaining references where appropriate completing a criminal records disclosure Providing induction into health and safety and their role

We currently do not have any children who attend our Meeting. We do have 4 Friends who have enhanced DBS checks and who have agreed to offer help and support in the event of children becoming a part of our Meeting again.

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

n/a

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 Yes yes

Portable electrical appliance testing	Yes


Health and safety policy reviewed.	Yes


Warning signs in place.	Yes

Conditions of use for hirers Yes

Additional checks were made before we opened after the second lockdown in March. Our premises committee reviewed all of their policies and updates them to take into account the changed circumstances.

Worcester Local Meeting

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting

Throughout the last year, Meeting for Worship has been maintained and enabled through a mix of online only and blended meetings, depending on the legal position at the time. This has been challenging sometimes due to the lack of professional equipment but, through goodwill, the meeting has continued and provided an opportunity for fellowship for those who were isolating for health reasons and would otherwise have been unable to physically attend meetings.

Attendance has fluctuated but typically been around 17 to 20 people. One advantage of this approach has been that some members have been able to participate in MFW from outside of the area, including some Friends who have been away visiting family members and others, with links to the Worcester Meeting, who are currently living abroad. Unfortunately the meeting was not able to maintain Wednesday meetings but Friends were able to participate in the online meetings arranged by Colin Billet and actual meetings in Worcester have been reintroduced in early 2022.

One limitation of the online/blended approach has been that it has been difficult to arrange study groups after meetings but early after the restrictions were lifted an uplifting event was held to explore ministry, how this supports the life of the meeting and how to encourage this in the different environment of blended meetings. Another workshop was successfully held to discuss the discernment.

Other activities which strengthened the life of the meeting in 2021, and provided an opportunity to meet safely at a time when Government guidelines advised against indoor large gatherings, included a number of garden parties outside the Meeting House, an online ‘show and tell’ discussion and the celebration of the wedding of Gill Pennington and Simon Knight.

Again, owing to the pandemic, there have been no childen attending Meeting since 2020.

Work is underway to improve the quality of blended meetings and to make active participation simpler, as it’s recognised that these have an ongoing value in connecting members who cannot easily attend meetings for reasons other than the Covid pandemic.

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

We continue to produce a Newsletter three times a year. It is 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.

Where permitted, during the pandemic, the meeting has continued it’s approach of letting rooms in the meeting house to community and other local groups whose activity’s support the community and are in line with core Quaker values and is seeking to develop this through 2022. This has included a number of poetry events in support of Amnesty International and in rememberence of the Holocaust.

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

Donations to external charities did not continue into 2021 with the exception of a donation to BYM in December. Individual giving continued with Friends supporting the Foodbank, Onside Advicay (through use of Café Mix), Worcestershire Association of Carers and Ubuntu Uganda, among others.

(4) Funding our concerns

Due to the intermittent use of the meeting house, and the practical impact this had on collecting for local charities during 2021, the funding of concerns has been left as a matter for Friends to arrange personally through direct donations as they see fit. We hope to restart the regular collection of funds for good causes in 2022, as more regular use is made of the meeting house.

(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 (MfWfB).

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

As part of the requiremen to replace the current meeting house boiler we have sought advice from expert heating engineers with sustainability of the solution as one of the criteria for consideration of options.

(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 – there has been no need to do this over the last year
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 upto date.	Yes
Portable electrical appliance testing	Yes
Health and safety policy reviewed.	Yes
Warning signs in place.	Yes
Conditions of use for hirers	Yes

Malvern Local Meeting

(1) Strengthening the life and witness of our Meeting

This has been another challenging year, as it has for all Meetings, due to the Covid pan-

demic. Meetings for Worship have been held in some form every week, initially by Zoom only. The Meeting House reopened for Meetings for Worship in April, and Meetings for

Worship continued also on Zoom until the end of June. Occasional Meetings for Worship by Zoom resumed in December. Weekly emails have been sent to all Members and Attenders keeping them informed about the Meeting and related events.

‘Little Friends’ meetings for young children are held on the first Sunday of each month and prove to be a valuable resource for a couple of families who find Sunday morning attendance is not easy, as well as being a means of outreach to a few families who do not link with us in any other way.

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

There have been no discussion groups in 2021 due to the pandemic. Various local Friends have taken the opportunity for on-line Woodbrooke courses and QPSW workshops, in-

creasing their awareness of Quaker thought and practice.

We have actively supported the Active Peace Education in Malvern Programmes. As a re-

sult of this in the autumn term peace education programmes were delivered in four local schools. These included "All are Welcome" about refugees, "Six Hours to Save the World", and "Celebrating our Differences and Enjoying our Similarities". All have been very well re-

ceived, and excellent evaluations received. 110 children completed and took home the work books we have produced to reinforce the learning in the classroom.

Malvern Quakers have been involved in a number of public witnesses during the year, namely:

• A vigil on International Yemen Day on January 25 at the entrance to QinetiQ in Malvern, who have a partnership arrangement with Saudi

Arabia (implicit in air strikes in the Yemen). A wreath of white poppies was laid.

• In the run up to COP26, a few of us joined the staged walk up to Glasgow joining other ‘pilgrims’ for the Tewkesbury to Upton section.

• We were present at Hiroshima Memorial Day, hosted by Malvern Priory.

• Malvern Individuals for Peace (founded by a Malvern Quaker) joined with a branch of the Three Counties Campaign Against Arms Trade, Peace Pledge Union and many other peace groups to protest against the 2021 3CDSE ‘Defence and Security Expo’ at the Three Counties Showground on November 4th.

• White poppy wreaths were laid at the above event and also during the annual Remembrance ceremony, at which Quakers are now an established presence.

We have supported the Everyone+ initiative at Tewksbury School by providing personal letters of support as well as financial assistance.

An article about Malvern Quaker Meeting was included in the Newsletter of Lyttelton Well, the Christian Outreach Centre in Malvern.

Malvern Quakers have been involved in the Zoom Meetings / Services of Churches Together Malvern and The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

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

A member of our meeting has a long-standing connection with Long Lartin high security

prison, joining their ‘Silence Inside’ meetings for worship and writing monthly to members of this group during their pandemic restrictions.

We have made grants during 2021 totalling £3,500, including to Malvern Welcomes, Malvern Food Bank, BRQCEA (Quakers in Europe), Pity of War Memorial and Quaker Mental

Health Fund.

We continue to support the relief of suffering through our Special Collections for various charities, for example the Lyttleton Well Counselling Service, Farmers Overseas Action Group, Children of Chernobyl and local families in need.

(4) Funding our concerns.

Our contributions by Malvern Friends and Attenders have increased this year. Our letting income has been severely affected by the pandemic. We are applying via the Area Meeting application to our insurers for loss of lettings income. Our biggest expenditure has been to our Active Peace Education Project in local schools using monies from a legacy for Quaker work in the Malvern Area.

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

Pastoral Care Friends have met monthly to survey the needs of members and attenders,

and to keep in touch with those in their groups. A successful Zoom Social event was held in March.

Several new attenders have been welcomed to our Meeting in the autumn.

Around twenty of our group have participated in a Restoring Relations process, in varying numbers of small group sessions by Zoom, with the aims of increasing understanding, seeking to build trust and strengthening our community generally. The final session brought a larger group together with three of the RR facilitators; and a residential weekend will be held in March, at Holland House, to further the same aims.

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

The Meeting House Committee ensures that the Meeting House is well maintained.

In November it was agreed that internet access be installed at the Meeting House.

We have for many years used entirely ‘green’ electricity.

Following consideration of ways to improve the environmental performance of the heating system, destratification fans have been installed.

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

The Meeting has a Clerking Team, who share the roles of internal and external communications, and Clerking Meetings for Worship for Business. These have been held on Zoom throughout 2021.

We donate regularly to BYM. These contributions are kept under review and we hope to increase donations in 2022. Friends have also been encouraged to contribute individually, and the presentation from Friends House was shared at the Business Meeting in March.

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. See below
Obtaining references where	N/A. See below appropriate
Completing a criminal records	Yes - three more people have gained DBS disclosure
Providing induction into health and safety and their role	N/A See Below

At Little Friends the children are always accompanied by a parent or responsible adult and in school the class teacher is in overall responsibility. Therefore we are never responsible for the children's safety and wellbeing.

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

The leaders of Little Friends are both experienced teachers, Advanced DBS holders, food handlers certificates. Further training not required at present.

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

Have you got the following in place?

	Yes or No
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
Warning signs in place	Yes

Conditions of use for hirers Yes 34

Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2021

NOTES	1 2 3 4 Unrestricted AM Central Funds Unrestricted Local Funds Total Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Endowment Funds	Total 2021	Total 2020
5	1,305 36,325 333 8,400 0 3,260 0 3,092	37,963 8,400 3,260 0 3,092	48,944 8,817 5,860 80 2,094
	1,305 51,077 52,382 333	52,715	65,795
6	1,447 15,065 571 204 10,968 9,948 419 18,979 5,241 1,461	17,084 11,172 9,948 19,398 6,702	4,984 33,673 47,125 2,556 2,607
	7,312 56,420 63,732 571	64,303	90,945
	-6,007 -5,343 -11,349 -238	-11,587	-25,150
7	7,000 -7,000	0	0 0 0
	993 -12,343 -11,349 -238	-11,587	-25,150
	10,618	10,618	6,316
	993 -1,725 -732 -238	-970	-18,834
9	810,582 260,774 892 2	1,072,248 1	0 1,092,221 -1,140
	811,575 259,051 1,070,626 654	1,071,279	1,072,247
	800,000 95,311 11,576 163,740 653	895,311 175,969	900,548 171,699
	811,576 259,051 1,070,626 653	1,071,279	1,072,247
8 8	1,573 6,657 7,391	1,573 6,657 7,391	1,719 2,987 2,880
	0 839 839 0	839	1,826

Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting Balance Sheet Summary as at 31st December 2021

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Funds Restricted
Central Local Special Total 2021 Total 2020
Notes 1 2 3 4
Fixed assets
Land and buildings 9 800,000.00 800,000.00 800,000.00
Fixtures and fittings 0.00 0.00
Investments 95,310.68 95,310.68 100,548.00
Total fixed assets 800,000.00 95,310.68 0.00 895,310.68 900,548.00
Current assets
Debtors 10 1,853.00 1,853.00 1,650.00
Short term deposits 1,380.00 116,450.26 117,830.26 107,332.00
Cash at bank and in hand 10,195.70 45,979.10 653.00 56,827.80 67,598.00
Total current assets 11,575.70 164,282.36 653.00 176,511.06 176,579.00
Current liabilities
Creditors within one year 11 542.00 542.00 4,880.00
Creditors after one year 0.00 0.00 0.00
Net current assets 11,575.70 163,740.36 653.00 175,969.06 171,699.00
Net assets 811,575.70 259,051.04 653.00 1,071,279.74 1,072,247.00
----- End of picture text -----

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

Note 1. Unrestricted funds, the centrally managed accounts

nancial Activities for the year ended December 31 2021

Incoming Resources Contributions (and tax reclaimed) Bank interest on deposits Dividends on shares,etc.	Notes	Unrestricted Designated General Extension	Total 2021	Total 2020
		1305.00 0.26	1305.00 0.26	3056.00 5.00 2456.00
otal Incoming Resources before transfers		1305.26 0.00	1305.26	5517.00

Total Incoming Resources		1305.26 0.00	1305.26	5517.00
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 ofQuaker activities	1 2 3	900.00 345.00 22.45 179.99	900.00 345.00 0.00 22.45 179.99	1592.00 76.00 22.00
Total costs ofQuaker activities		1447.44 0.00	1447.44	1690.00
Grants, subscriptions, donations ... to BYM … to ecumenical and interfaith bodies …. Woodbrooke …. CCPAS/Thirty One Eight …. To Individuals YFGM	4 5	129.00 75.00	129.00 75.00	5500.00 1000.00 120.00
Total costs ofgrants, etc		204.00 0.00	204.00	6620.00
Governance and Support costs Insurance excess paid Insurance - AM wide Professional fees Trustee meetings General support costs		1983.48 3258.00 418.99	1983.48 3258.00 418.99	1694.00 788.00 208.00
Total costs of support andgovernance		5660.47 0.00	5660.47	2690.00
Total Resources Expended before transfers		7311.91 0.00	7311.91	11000.00
Transfers to and from Local Meetings Receipt of Quotas from Local Meetings Donations from LM's		-7000.00	-7000.00	-7440.00 -638.00
Total Transfers to Local Meetings		-7000.00 0.00	-7000.00	-8078.00
Prior Year Adjustments Total resources expended				0.00
		311.91 0.00	311.91	2922.00
Revaluation of Property
Net movement in funds		993.35 0.00	993.35	2595.00
Total funds brought forward 1 January		803919.35 6663.00	810582.35	807987.00
otal funds carried forward 31 December		804912.70 6663.00	811575.70	810582.00
These funds were held as follows: Fixed Assets Property Current Assets COIF deposit account Lloyds TSB current account less Current Liabilities Creditor			800000.00	800000.00
			1380.00 10195.70	1380.00 9202.00
			11575.70	10582.00
Net current assets			11575.70	10582.00
Total Assets			811575.70	810582.00

Annotations to Note 1:

1.1 Costs of Children and Young People from the Area attending Summer School etc
1.2 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.
1.3 Other Quaker activities include printing for the Area Meeting and the cost of the gifted book when Friends come into membership
1.4 The cost of annual registration with C.C.P.A.S to meet our responsibilities for the care and protection of children.
1.5 Donation to YFGM in lieu of training provided by them for a members Fundraising Training

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.

The amount of Grants and Donations we made in 2021 is lower, partly as we made extra grants and donations last year as we had less outgoings due to the pandemic but also because we did not make our annual donation to BYM in 2021. This is because we were back in national lockdown in early 2021 and Friends House had no one available to cash it at their end. It was suggested that we wait and send a larger donation in 2022.

A similar issue occurred with sending a donation to JYM in lieu of us having anyone who could go from our area, the Children, Young People and Families team suggested we send the donation in 2022 when their staff were back in the office at Friends House. The option of an officer of the Area Meeting making a online banking payment and being reimbursed was considered but dismissed for the time being due to Friends House reassurance that no young person would miss out on a place due to a lack of our donation.

The General Fund income was boosted in 2021 by donations totalling for £1305. The quota brought in £7000, down from 2020 due to the laying down of Wem Local Meeting.

The General Fund includes the value of properties owned by the Area Meeting. These were valued in 2019, not including Worcester Meeting House, which is separately owned by Worcestershire Friends Charity. The fixed assets of the Area Meeting centrally amount to 800,000. The net current assets, across both the General Fund and the Extension Fund, amounted to £11575 (previous year £10582).

The current assets are sufficient to cover the annual level of expenditure at 2021 levels.

The greater part 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. There was no expenditure from the Extension Fund in 2021, it appears Friends have either been unaware of the availability of the Extension Fund and/or have not chosen to undertake any Spiritual Courses due to the continuing nature of the pandemic. The income to the Extension Fund normally amounts to just under £3000 per year and used to be paid early in the year, it was not paid at all in 2021. Due to the lack of movement in either direction we should have sufficient resources for 2022. The Extension Fund income is being followed up by the Treasurer.

Note 2. Local Unrestricted Funds (designated)

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year ended 31st December 2021

----- Start of picture text -----
Total Total
Church
Notes Bewdley Malvern Shrews'y Telford Wem Worcester 2,021 2,020
Stretton
Incoming Resources
Donations, legacies, and similar 4,599 1,352 6,954 5,555 6,611 0 11,255 36,325 45,395
Income from activities to generate funds 2,467 1,032 795 4,106 8,400 8,817
Investment income 174 2,564 520 3 3,260 3,399
Quaker Activities 0 80
Other income 1,276 75 1,701 40 3,092 2,094
Total incoming resources 7,239 2,628 10,625 8,570 6,651 0 15,364 51,077 59,785
Resources expended
Costs of Quaker activities 10,723 175 391 3,776 15,065 3,050
Grants and donations 100 2,009 5,535 850 2,150 324 10,968 27,053
Premises and paid employees 3,392 6,142 8,676 769 18,979 47,125
Costs of generating funds 0 9,948 9,948 1,560
Management and administration 193 245 806 217 1,461 913
Total resources expended 3,685 2,254 23,205 9,700 3,527 324 13,724 56,420 79,701
Net incoming resources before transfers 3,554 374 -12,581 -1,130 3,125 -324 1,640 -5,343 -19,916
Transfers
Transfers to AM (quota) -1,200 -400 -1,240 -1,400 -1,320 0 -1,440 -7,000 -7,440
Transfers from Restricted Funds
Other transfers -638
t incoming resources before revaluations 2,354 -26 -13,821 -2,530 1,805 -324 200 -12,343 -27,994
Gains (losses) on investments 10,051 567 10,618 6,316
Net movement in funds 2,354 -26 -3,770 -1,963 1,805 -324 200 -1,725 -21,678
Total funds brought forward, 1 Jan 31,575 12,915 107,010 63,587 10,730 324 34,632 260,774 283,591
0
Prior year adjustment 1 1 -1,140
0
Total funds carried forward, 31 Dec 33,929 12,889 103,240 61,624 12,536 0 34,832 259,050 260,773
These balances are held as:
Total fixed assets 95,311 95,311 100,548
Net current assets 33,929 12,889 7,929 61,624 12,536 0 34,832 163,740 160,225
Net assets 33,929 12,889 103,240 61,624 12,536 0 34,832 259,051 260,773
----- End of picture text -----

Note 3. Local Unrestricted Funds (designated) Balance Sheet Summary as at 31st December 2021

	Total	Total	Total	Total
Total fixed assets Land and Buildings Fixtures and Fittings Investments	Notes	Bewdley Church Stretton Malvern Shrews'y Telford Worcester	2021	2020
		95,311	0 0 95,311	0 0 100,548
Total Fixed Assets		0 0 95,311 0 0 0	95,311	100,548
Current Assets Debtors Short term deposits Cash at bank and in hand		16 415 1,422 26,155 5,166 55,475 2,896 26,758 7,759 12,889 2,834 5,733 9,872 6,892	1,853 116,450 45,979	1,650 107,332 56,124
Total Current Assets		33,929 12,889 8,000 61,624 12,768 35,072	164,282	165,105
Current Liabilities Creditors within one year Creditors after oneyear		71 231 240	542 0	4,880 0
Total Current Liabilities		0 0 71 0 231 240	542	4,880
Net Current Assets		33,929 12,889 7,929 61,624 12,537 34,832	163,740	160,225
Net Assets		33,929 12,889 103,240 61,624 12,537 34,832	259,051	260,773

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 lettings of premises. Lettings income is still down compared to pre 2020 levels. Some meetings are not taking as many bookings and some groups have stopped meeting in person. An insurance claim pay-out will be made in 2022 to cover some of our losses of income due to the pandemic.

YEAR	BEWDLEY	MALVERN	SHREWSBURY	WORCESTER
2019	3528	6310	12062	8471
2020	1200	2931	1990	2696
2021	2467	1032	795	4106

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. This expenditure has increased from 2020 but is not near pre-pandemic level.

Note 7: Transfers between funds

This consists of transfers from Local Meeting accounts to the Area Meeting account for the annual quota.

Note 8 - Acting as agent

Received Held over previously Collections Paid Over Net Held	Central Bewdley Ch StrettonMalvern Shrewsbury Telford Worcester Total 2021 Total 2020 607.79 127.00 838.00 1,572.79 1,719.00 4,956.75 1,700.00 6,656.75 2,987.00
	0.00 0.00 0.00 607.79 5,083.75 2,538.00 0.00 8,229.54 4,706.00 5,083.75 2,307.00 7,390.75 2,880.00
	0.00 0.00 0.00 607.79 0.00 231.00 0.00 838.79 1,826.00

The table above shows money collected by local meetings Acting as Agents. Bewdley, Church Stretton and Worcester meetings keep any special collections separate from their normal finances and do not act as agents

Note 9: Land and Buildings

The value of Worcester Friends Meeting House appears in the accounts of Worcester 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 quinquennial 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 FMH 300,000 Total 800,000

Insurance (rebuild) values: £

Bewdley FMH 217,000 Malvern FMH 308,000 Shrewsbury FMH 350,000 Total 875,000

Note 10: Debtors

Debtors are as follows Bewdley LM 16.00 Shrewsbury LM 415.00 Worcester LM 1422.00

Total: 1853.00

Note 11: Creditors

Creditors are as follows (all payable withing one year) Malvern LM 71.00 Telford LM 231.00 Worcester LM 240.00

Total: 542.00

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

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.

Independent Examiner's Report to the Members of Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting

I report on the accounts of the Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting for the year ended 31st December 2021, which are set out on pages 1 to 7.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and independent examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. They consider that the audit requirement of section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 43(7)(b) of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements

to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the Act;
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records; and
to comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have

not been met; or

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Date:

Independent Examinerfs Report to the Members of Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting I report on the accounts of the Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting for the year ended 31st December 2021. which are set out on pages 1 to 7. Respectlve responslbilities of trustees and independent examiner The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. They consider that the audit requirement of section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the General Directions given by Ihe Charity Commissioners under section 43(7)(b) of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of independent examinerfs report My examination was carried out in accordan with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes Gonsideration of any unusual ilems or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Independent examinerfs statement In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention 11) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the Act; to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting record5" and to comply with the accounting requirements of U)e Act have not been met. or {2) to which. in my opinion. attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date.. 311./zL