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2020-12-31-accounts

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE AREA QUAKER MEETING OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS) IN BRITAIN

REPORT AND CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 31 DECEMBER, 2020

The Charity was registered as a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) on October 5, 2018 (Number 1180217)

Address for communications:

The Clerk to the Trustees, Northampton Quaker Meeting House, Wellington Street,

Northampton NN1 3AS

Officers:

Clerk to the Trustees: Peter Riches from January 1 until 12[th ] July; Eleanor Coss from 12[th ] July until the present.

Treasurer: Ron Barden

Independent Examiner:

David Stephens, 13 Newlands Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN9 4AS

Trustees serving during 2020

Ron Barden, Eleanor Coss, Peter Little, Heather Brunskell-Evans, Angela Atkins, Elaine Smith, Ian Neale, Theo Sturge, Peter Riches (resigned July 2020)

Bankers:

Structure and Governance:

Constitution:

A Charitable Incorporated Organisation: Northamptonshire Area Quaker Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain (abbreviated as Northamptonshire Area Meeting) number 1180217 which was formally registered by the Charities Commission on October 5, 2018.

Trustees:

Appointed for a period of three years by the Area Meeting following nomination by its Nominations Committee. Trustees are encouraged to take advantage of relevant training opportunities that are available. Business meetings within the Society are conducted as ‘meetings for worship for church affairs’ in which there is no voting, the Clerk is a servant of the meeting and the minutes are agreed at each meeting. Northamptonshire Area Meeting comprises four local meetings - Kettering, Northampton, Oundle and Wellingborough, each forming a separate congregation. Membership of the Society of Friends is held within the Area Meeting.

Objectives:

The furtherance of the religious and charitable purposes of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in the area of Northamptonshire Area Meeting and beyond. The Area Meeting ensures the right holding of public meetings for worship, and regular meetings for church affairs in each of the constituent meetings - Kettering, Northampton and Wellingborough, in their own meeting houses, and Oundle in rented premises. The Area Meeting supports Quaker witness through its public meetings for worship, and supports social projects for the relief of poverty and suffering as well as witness for peace and reconciliation, both within its own geographical area and more widely through the work of Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.

Performance:

The Area Meeting had 82 members at the end of 2020. Regular weekly meetings for worship were held by each of the Local Meetings. Each Local Meeting held monthly meetings for worship for church affairs, usually coordinated a week before the Area Meetings, which were held on ten occasions during the year. During the national lockdowns necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic, both regular Meetings for Worship and Meetings for Worship for Church Affairs were held over Zoom video-conferencing.

The Area Meeting provides financial assistance to enable members and attenders to attend conferences and courses for their spiritual development and enrichment. These have included training courses for those taking up Quaker roles, enquirer’s courses and events relating to subjects such as sustainability. Northampton Meeting provides classes for children and young people (when meeting in person in the Meeting House is possible), and the Area Meeting offers support for young people to attend a variety of Quaker youth events .

Meeting for Worship at Kettering has been held virtually since March due to the Coronavirus restrictions, with Friends either sitting in their own homes or meeting online via Zoom. The weekly sharing of readings from Quaker Faith & Practice , Advices and Queries and other sources helped to facilitate a sense of togetherness. Kettering Overseers established ‘telephone circles’ for Friends to keep in touch with each other, and three ‘Spiritual Journey’

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groups, each with five or six Friends, met online regularly for mutual support. In terms of outreach, Kettering Meeting made significant financial donations to nine local charitable organisations to enable them to support vulnerable groups during the Coronavirus pandemic, and a playgroup continued to use the building to provide early years learning for pre-school children. Kettering Friends continued to be active in Churches Together and the local Interfaith Forum. To enhance the fabric of the building, the windows in the large and small meeting rooms will be replaced in early 2021 to improve sound and thermal insulation, and to allow easier opening for ventilation.

Members of Northampton Meeting continue to be active in Outreach. During the University term, and when coronavirus restrictions allow, Friends join with our University Chaplain at the Multi Faith Centre on the campus once a week. Students have the chance to chat about anything that is concerning them, eat cake, and join a short meeting for worship. Friends have given financial support to 40 charities from weekly collections after Meeting for Worship supplemented by a contribution from funds. A further regular meeting for worship takes place once a month in Greens Norton for those members who live in and around Greens Norton, or lived there in past. Like others this transferred to Zoom during lockdown.

Friends of Oundle Meeting participate in the area and national work of the Society.

Wellingborough Friends continue to meet regularly, offering four planned opportunities each week, remotely and online. When the building was closed in March 2020, the Meeting focused on looking after the members and attenders and reaching out to community groups in need of support in very difficult times. Their meetings were outdoors in spring and summer with some autumn meetings, when permitted, in the Meeting House. They invested in ICT to keep in touch and share online worship. Regular financial, food donation and volunteer support continued for the Daylight Centre and the Foodbank, and members and friends supported One Wellingborough and Northamptonshire Together appeals; the Quaker Kitchen providing lunches for those who are homeless or vulnerable could not continue during lockdown. Financial support was given by the meeting and individuals to provide housing for a refugee family nearby and they supported appeals from other Quaker organisations.

The trustees keep the fabric of the three Meeting Houses under regular review and undertake a planned programme of repairs and improvements to them. The five-yearly survey of the condition of the three Meeting Houses was last carried out during 2019 by John C Barker MRICS FCIOB FRSA IHBC during which no unexpected problems were revealed.

The Area Meeting continues to encourage other charities and voluntary bodies to make use of the properties, when not required by the Society, both in order to provide income for its charitable work and as a form of Quaker outreach and service within the local community. The current national financial situation has resulted in a reduction in the use of our properties by other organisations that are dependent upon government grants; the necessity of closing all Meeting Houses during national lockdowns also resulted in a significant loss of income through much of 2020.

Sustainability:

Northamptonshire Area Meeting is determined to sustain and deepen our commitment to being a low carbon community, and to reduce the carbon footprint of our Meetings. In 2020 we started a small group to explore “Greening our Meeting Houses”, with the aim of

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investigating the best ways to improve the carbon footprints of our Meeting Houses. This group’s work was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic but will resume as soon as restrictions allow.

Financial review:

The total funds available to the Area Meeting remain substantial, at £410,437, which the trustees consider to be fully sufficient to meet the anticipated demands of the Area Meeting, particularly in relation to the condition of the AQM’s Meeting Houses. Each local meeting has its own treasurer; the local meeting accounts being consolidated each year within those of the Area Meeting. The Area Meeting’s Expendable and Permanent Restricted funds are detailed in note 3 on the consolidated accounts page.

The three Meeting Houses are not shown as a fixed asset in the accounts, as they are functional properties and there is no intention to sell them. Buildings are insured for £988,973 and contents £67,000.

The Area Meeting owns two investment properties. Both are currently leased to Northampton Domestic Abuse Service as refuge houses. Refuge House 1 is valued at £175,000; Refuge House 2 is valued at £200,000. The income from rents is used for general purposes.

Policy on reserves:

The Area Meeting does not currently have a formal reserves policy. Area Meeting has proposed that Trustees should bring forward a reserves policy. At present, the Area Meeting aims to retain sufficient reserves to enable it to undertake the following year’s expenditure as well as to respond to unforeseen needs, both for property restoration and ongoing support for the concerns supported by members of the Meeting. To this end a rolling budget is maintained and five yearly surveys of the properties are carried out. Northampton Local Meeting implemented a reserves policy in 2015; Kettering Local Meeting implemented theirs in 2017; Wellingborough Local Meeting adopted theirs in July 2020.

Public benefit statement:

Northamptonshire Area Meeting is one of seventy area meetings of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in England, Wales and Scotland. The resources arise from contributions, donations, legacies, income raised from the use of the property by other charitable and nonprofit making organisations, and interest received. These resources are used on deepening and sharing our spiritual experience and acts that arise from our faith. We support work for peace, justice, a sustainable environment, the alleviation of suffering and victims of oppression. Our local meetings for worship are open to all with no tests, and membership of the Society is open to anyone seeking truth. This report shows how our resources have been spent and how the public benefits from our work.

Signed by

E Coss

Eleanor Coss (Clerk)

Date

30 July 2021

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Northamptonshire Area Quaker Meeting 0f the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain

Accounts Year ended 31 December 2020

Charity Registration Number 1180217

Northamptonshire Area Quaker Meeting

Charity Registration Number 1180217

Receipts and Payments Accounts

Year Ended 31 December 2020

Receipts
Voluntary receipts
Gift Aid
Activities for generating funds
Investments
Quaker activities
Other income
Legacies
Payments
Governance costs
Grants and donations
Quaker activities
Property costs
Asset purchases
Fixed assets
Net income
To AM
Other transfers
Net movement
Cash funds b/fwd
Cash funds c/fwd		 Gen
fund
500
Building
fund
Local
Meetings
29,886
Restricted
Fund
Permanent
Endowment
Totals
30,386
2019
21,263
2,669
2,669
4,427
12,768
245
13,173
26,186
46,910
329
1,763
2,092
1,739
648
648
107
205
0
205
0
23,229
23,229
80,309
13,802
245
71,368
0
0
85,415
154,755
450
63
513
713
1,000
28,256
29,256
27,288
1,122
1,098
2,220
5,875
13,012
19,722
32,734
61,845
2,572
13,012
49,139
0
0
64,723
95,721
0
0
0
0
0
11,230
-12,767
22,229
0
0
20,692
59,034
3,645
7,840
-11,485
0
3,645
7,840
-11,485
0
0
0
14,875
-4,927
10,744
0
0
20,692
59,034
82,734
67,171
239,840
5,667
0
395,412
336,378
97,609
62,244
250,584
5,667
0
416,104
395,412

Northamptonshire Area Quaker Meeting

Charity Registration Number 1180217

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

Year Ended 31 December 2020

Cash funds
Area Meeting
Triodos
NatWest
Local Meetings
Kettering
Northampton
Oundle
Wellingborough
Other monetary assets
Area Meeting
Prepayments
Liabilities
Investment assets
Kettering house
Wellingborough house
Signed on behalf of the trustees		 UnrestrictedRestricted Endowment
funds
90,006
funds
funds
69,847
42,245
194,826
1,656
11,857
5,667
410,437
5,667
0
416,104
1,300
1,300
0
0
1,300
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Endowment
funds
-56,164
-56,164
118,836
56,164
200,000
318,836
0
56,164
375,000
736,240

Signature R Barden

Name R Barden Date 30 July 2021

Northamptonshire Area Quaker Meeting

Charity Registration Number 1180217

Notes to the accounts

Year Ended 31 December 2020

Local Meetings
Receipts
Voluntary receipts
Gift Aid
Activities for generating funds
Investments
Legacies
Quaker activities
Payments
Governance costs
Grant and donations
Quaker activities
Property costs
Net income
To AM
Other transfers
Net movement
Cash funds b/fwd
Cash funds c/fwd
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
Total funds		 Kettering Northampton Oundle
Wellingborough
8,525
12,209
1,387
7,765
1,234
1,435
5,930
5,905
1,338
259
1,488
16
23,229
648
15,948
42,831
1,387
11,202
63
15,510
8,696
300
3,750
120
468 <br>510
3,600
13,084
3,038
19,293
22,248
300
7,298
-3,345
20,583
1,087
3,904
-3,454
-4,867
-495
-2,669
-3,454
-4,867
-495
-2,669
-6,799
15,716
592
1,235
49,044
179,110
1,064
16,289
42,245
194,826
1,656
17,524
0
0
0
5,667

42,245
194,826
1,656
11,857

42,245
194,826
1,656
17,524		 Kettering Northampton Oundle
Wellingborough
8,525
12,209
1,387
7,765
1,234
1,435
5,930
5,905
1,338
259
1,488
16
23,229
648
15,948
42,831
1,387
11,202
63
15,510
8,696
300
3,750
120
468 <br>510
3,600
13,084
3,038
19,293
22,248
300
7,298
-3,345
20,583
1,087
3,904
-3,454
-4,867
-495
-2,669
-3,454
-4,867
-495
-2,669
-6,799
15,716
592
1,235
49,044
179,110
1,064
16,289
42,245
194,826
1,656
17,524
0
0
0
5,667

42,245
194,826
1,656
11,857

42,245
194,826
1,656
17,524		 Total
29,886
2,669
13,173
1,763
23,229
648
71,368
63
28,256
1,098
19,722
0
49,139
22,229
-11,485
0
-11,485
10,744
245,507
256,251
5,667

250,584

256,251

`

REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER TO THE TRUSTEES OF

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE AREA QUAKER MEETING

Charity Registration Number 1180217

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2020

Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of Independent Examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts prepared with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

D Stephens 31 July 2021

David Stephens FCCA Chartered Certified Accountant 13 Newlands Road Tunbridge Wells Kent TN9 4AS