## Ceredigion Circuit Charity Registration Number 1188313 Trustee’s Annual Report, Year Ending 31 August 2024 Registered address: St Paul Methodist Centre, Queens Road, Aberystwyth, SY23 2NN www.ceredigionmethodists.org.uk ## Objectives and Activities The Ceredigion Circuit is part of the Wales Synod in the Methodist Church in Britain. The Circuit supports the mission and outreach of Methodist Churches and communities in Aberystwyth, Lampeter and the surrounding area. As part of the Methodist Church in Great Britain, we are governed by the Deed of Union (1932) and Methodist Church Act (1976), adopted 20 Sep 1932 as amended by statutory instrument dated 14 Jun 2017. These documents include the charitable objectives: “The purposes of the Methodist Church are and shall be deemed to have been since the date of the Union the advancement of: - (A) the Christian Faith in accordance with the doctrinal standards and the discipline of the Methodist Church; - (B) any charitable purpose for the time being of any Connexional, District, Circuit, Local or other organisation of the Methodist Church; - (C) any charitable purpose for the time being of any society or institution subsidiary or ancillary to the Methodist Church; - (D) any purpose for the time being of any charity being a charity subsidiary or ancillary to the Methodist Church.” For the Ceredigion Circuit, our mission statement is “To have a living relationship with God through worship, to encourage one another to grow as Christians, to live the Good News of Jesus and to share God's unconditional love for everyone.” Working with the churches in the Circuit, this includes the following benefits for the public: - Providing public worship, led by ordained preachers and lay preachers in the Circuit. - Being available for marriages, christenings, and funerals, by arrangement. - Running regular meetings and events that help people from the community to join in as they feel able, including bible study and prayer groups, a Pay as you Feel café, coffee mornings and evening meals, art groups, guardian and toddler groups, community engagement/entertainment events, and additional activities aimed at students and disadvantaged groups. - Making church buildings available for community, charity and commercial lettings. ## Achievements and Performance During the 2023/24 financial year (FY) the circuit continued to provide for services and groups meeting in churches, the manse, online, and in members’ homes; as well as providing weekly online services on YouTube. The Circuit and its churches continued the work, emphasised in the 2022/23 report, targeted at students, the poor, those self-identifying as neuro-diverse, and those from the LGBTQ+ communities. In addition, this work was supported by the appointment of a part-time (25 to 27h/ week) Lay Missioner for three years starting on 1 October 2023. Funding for the Lay Missioner includes £10K/annum from the Synod Advance Fund; £10K/annum from Synod block grant for Methodist Action on Poverty and Justice; and £7K/annum from the Circuit’s reserves. During 2023/24 The Circuit also made significant contributions to reduce the carbon footprint of its premises, including the installation of solar panels at St Paul’s church. ## Financial Review Our accounts are prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis and are independently examined. The report for the 2023/24 financial year is at the end of this report. As of 31[st] August 2024, the Circuit had receipts of £111,757, payments of £132,657, and total funds remaining of £167,593 (with £16,711 of this reserved for the Lay Missioner ‘project’). Disregarding the restricted monies, funds remaining at FY end were 134% of payments. This represents a planned reduction from the 2022/23 position reflecting the Circuit’s decision for the 2023/24 FY to expand its work with disadvantaged groups, and to reduce the carbon footprint of our buildings. In addition to the Lay Missioner, the Circuit employs a part-time Administrator to support the work of the Superintendent Minister. ## Structure, Governance and Management The Circuit’s governance is established by policies from the Methodist Church of Great Britain. The Circuit has a leadership team, comprised of the Chair (Superintendent Minister), Treasurer, Circuit Stewards and Meeting Secretary. All of the leadership team are trustees. The leadership team oversees general management of the Circuit and it is responsible to the Circuit Meeting (which includes all trustees). The Circuit Meeting occurs in the Autumn and Spring as a minimum for formal decision making. Other Circuit Meetings are arranged when appropriate. ## Trustees Our typical time to change roles in the Circuit is late August and Early September. Those changes are recorded at the Circuit Meeting in September. Trustees for the 2023/24 FY: - Rev’d Felicity Jane Jepson-Randall (Chair) - Ruth Gooding (Secretary) - Rev’d David Jones - Rev’d Peter Edwin Barber - Rev’d Phillip Alun Poynor - Arnold Smith - Charlene Mary Crampin - David Henry Crimes - Dionne Sherwood - Elizabeth Edwards - Glyn Jenkins - Heather Phillips - Jean Millest-Baker - Julia Ann Christine Jenkins - Kathryn Anne Wright - Michael Jonathan Gooding (Treasurer) - Susan Peterson - Barbara Jill Barber ## Declarations The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature: ………………………………………………………………………… Full name: Michael Jonathan Gooding Position: Circuit Treasurer Date: 20 June 2025 CIRCUIT RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS CeTedlgion Circuit FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024 Wale5 Synoj Cymiu Dlstrict Cir¢ult no 2110 R•glstered Charity- Charlty R•glstrntFon numbèr 1188313 If not a registered charity Hor MaJ•stys Revenue and Customs Glft Ald number NIA trhe HMRC number 15 equivalent to a registered chanty number in lemis of evidence of chant8ble $l*us and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisalion's charitabLg Status. Methodisl chaTrties in England and WaKgs Ihat are not registered charf(ies are excepted from registration undgr Statutory Instrumènt 2014 No.2421 Ministers.. Circvit Sle%rdids.' EIEabeth E¢thYards David Crimes DKJnne She￿￿0d Michael GoodinA...._._....___.__..___...._.. Treasurer. Michael Goodin 201SClmftR ￿ P.￿$ 1 of5 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024 C•rfrdi ion Cireult c1￿￿1t rnstrlct•d IAodtl Tru•t RMtr*t•d Fund¥ Fund Fundg Total• thi• SECTION A a1 RECEIPTS Noto Assessmenvshare 74,827 74,827 a3 Ca ital recei Bank and CF8 interest and Investment income 2,897 5,073 5,104 a5 Grants 4,000 4.960 20,000 14,000 5,475 Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 4,960 111,756.69 a7 86,684.00 5.072.69 20.000 {a81 99,406 SECTION B b1 b2 PAYMENTS Stipends, salaries. NIC. Pension and travel costs 50,011 19,122 50,713 b3 Manse Costs 9.839 8,032 Adminislralion et¢ 1,828 304 513 2,44S 1,943 bs Districtl S od Assessment 18,774 2,827 21,601 337 21,761 Grants & donations Capital Projects ICart)on Teductionl 337 b7 389 25,096 2S.46S 3.837 b8 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 3.183 654 3.539 b9 84.140.85 28,227.15 20.289.00 132,6S7.00 Ib91 B5,989 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 a7-b9 2,543 289 c2 Totsl funds brou ht forward from last ar 71,943 1Cfj.550 10,000 188,493 175.075 c3 Sub totsl c1+c2 9.711 167,693 188,493 Transfers and Adjustments 17,0001 7.000 Ic71 ¢5 TOTAL FUNOS AT END OF YEAR Ic3+c4} 74.486 76.396 16,711 167.S93 Ic81 188.493 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO ExfERNAL ORGANISATIONS these amounts should not ￿ includ¢d In totsl rncel tslpayments abml Balance bro ht forward from last d1 d2 Offerin sIGsfts - received lor extemal o anisations d3 OfferingslGrfts- passed to external organisations BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID d1+d2-d3 d4 2015 CKeuit R and P.A1$ 2015 CRC TIECHicurr ￿ETING SECT￿ e Surntnpry c￿￿rtR￿>jnts year end& 31 Awust 2024 and kniwn•l rewtiryto IhB Circurt MeBtrg Notelh•ttt*fvndgofan Iniwnw Or¥8rd$atbThM￿￿ ￿rm￿Y be Re51rictsd uths itiy)uKS Ihatlhèy [x)￿d be used for any Methodist wtw)se. musl be G•edtQ 8m¥e 9ross re￿Qtsa￿ pay￿slO18￿ oflhB Thrujit IfgKw ITKY)me eX(￿s￿*￿Ud5thI￿5ttQ￿ of£250.000. I￿n cwals ffleittod ofa¢rA)unlingANDA DIFFeRENT FORM rnuÈt bè u¥d to report the XC*)￿7￿(S￿ wabsrtel Pb¥so thtothd guxlÈnc otss regarthw transfers trtheen the ¢i￿￿t (Ju8ni¥Bbor 4TERNAL Subtth4ofintèm 1•121 2.toialb￿lu￿ffiJ 111,757 1J2 20.900 188,493 167,$93 TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELOBY ¢I￿Vrr 111 757 1J2,1$7 20.900 188.493 167,593 TOTALRECEPTS TOTIL PAVWNTS bfinathetot¥knfuTh¥krd SE¢TTh F TATÉIIEIIT OPEWW*3 8ALA14¢ES CLOSING BALANces C￿c￿¢T-¢16N FUNDS HÈLD&t31 ￿11$11014 A¢&Junt 106,550 76.395 0￿￿[tuA￿S SUB TOYAL 188,493 167.$93 ty Inierna org9n￿￿￿< ck>*ty bBkncetQl* thvol1o121 •12 TOYNLCASH FUIKJS HELD BYCIRCiKT 188,493 (A 167.$93 SECTIONG 31 2￿1 L4nd and ￿eFA￿ 14 InraLth Is IndLth thCFB Funth hdd atTru8l•bK ￿r￿£th0&￿enUrCh PurwM• 41 lThy￿1&&iyOth￿rw•str￿ rlTMCPtrUW Fl knè151 Name of Circuil.. Ceredigion Circuit .... No: 2110 Declarations and Scrutiny I confim that these Receipt and Paymwrt based accounts lor the year to 31 August 2024 have been prepared from the records of the Circuit and that they include all funds under the control of the Circuit meeting. s￿nature of treasurer ... ....... Date.. Name and add￿$ of treasurer: Michael Gooding, Treetops, Cae Melyn Atseryst￿h..................... . Post Code.. SY23 2HA Pre•entstson to the Clrcult meetlng I confirni that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 were presented to the Circuit meeting held on 6 Marth 2025 s￿nature of the Chair of the meeting 14thMay. 2025 Name of the Chair of the meeting.. Rev. Malcolm Peacock Date ....... Independent Examlnerfs Report to the Trustses of the Ceredlgion Circult Charlty Number. 1188313 Responslbllltles and basis of report I report lo the trustees on my exarnination of the accounts of the Ceredigion Circuit for the year ended 31 August 2024 set out on pages 2 to 3 As the Circuit's trustees, you are responsible for the preparaii¢n of the accounts in accordance the requirements of the Charits'es Act 2011 (Ihe Act.). I report in ￿SpeCt of my examination of the Circuit's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and. in carying out my examinatson, I have followed all tha applicable Directions 9iven by the Chanty Commission under seth.on 145(5)(b) of the Act. . delete or circb as appropriate 201S R •xl P x 401$ Name of Circuit.. Ceredigion Circuit....................................... No: 2110........... Independent Examiner's Statement I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in connection wrth the examination (other than that disclosed below") which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance wtth section 130 of the Act,. or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. I have ave no obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date. Signature of independent examiner Name of independent examiner knfj&Tr...fftrk4. Relevant professional qualification of independent examiner Name of fimi (where appropriate) . .P5..£...Aob.i.i....s£lW.IC£s...L1￿Il.£S).................. Address W.£2a4Sf. w>.YTh-L............C. IQsJi&i¢J.￿.................. Post Code S%13. NL Date delete or circle as appropriate 2015 Circuit R and P.￿$ 5of5 ## Ceredigion Circuit • Accounts for year ending 31[st] August 2024 ## Notes to the Accounts ## Format of the accounts The accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis. ## Reserves Policy The Circuit’s Reserves Policy is that it should be an amount that is approximately equal to six-months of expenditure. Following guidance from the District Finance Officer in 2017, the Circuit meeting agreed that it would be willing to lower the Reserves Policy in order to release funds for use. Disregarding the restricted income and expenditure, funds remaining at year end on 31[st] August 2024 amounted to £150,882 with total expenditure of £112,368; i.e. we have more than is needed for the Reserves Policy. This is partly a consequence of receipts following the sale of the properties (Manse Wesley, Ty Canol and Penparcau Building) in previous years. The remaining money from the property sales (following expenditure on carbon reduction projects and the Lay Missioner project in 2023/24) is £76,396, which is held in a TMCP Model Trust fund. The remaining unrestricted money, £74,486, is held in the HSBC account and the CFB deposit account. ## Assessment from the churches The Circuit has received payments from the two churches in the circuit, at the same rates as in the previous year. ||**2022/2023**|**2023/2024**| |---|---|---| |St Paul’s Methodist Church,Aberystwyth|61,031|
61,031| |St Thomas’ Methodist Church,Lampeter|13,796|13,796| ## District and Synod grants Within the 2023/24 financial year there is a grant of £4,000 from Wales Synod to contribute towards our activities with students in the Circuit. There are further grants of £10,000 each from the Synod Advance Fund and the Synod block grant for Methodist Action on Poverty and Justice as contributions to the Lay Missioner project.