## Ceredigion Circuit Charity Registration Number 1188313 Trustee’s Annual Report, Year Ending 31 August 2025 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 ministers and local preachers in the Circuit. - Being available for marriages, baptisms, 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 2024/25 financial year (FY) the circuit continued to provide for services of worship and groups meeting in churches (in Aberystwyth and Lampeter), online, and in members’ homes; as well as providing weekly online services on YouTube. The Circuit and its churches continued specific work, emphasised since the 2022/23 report, targeted at students, the poor, those self-identifying as neuro-diverse, and those from the LGBTQ+ communities. The Circuit also continued to make significant reductions in the carbon footprint of its premises, including the installation of LED lighting throughout St Paul’s Methodist Centre in Aberystwyth. During the 2024/25 financial year, the Circuit was without a full-time Superintendent Minister based in Ceredigion (the vacancy to be filled from September 2025). Despite this, the substantive activities of the circuit were maintained (and in some cases grew) due to the continued commitment of church members and volunteers together with two paid employees: a Lay Missioner (27h/wk), and an Administrator (14h/wk). Necessary formal duties of a Superintendent Minister were performed during the year by Rev’d Malcolm Peacock (from the Mid-Glamorgan Mission Circuit). The Lay Missioner was a project-based appointment (three years from 1 October 2023) funded by the Synod Advance Fund and the Synod block grant for Methodist Action on Poverty and Justice, together with a contribution from the Circuit’s Model Trust Fund (see below). ## Financial Review Our accounts are prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis and are independently examined. The report for the 2024/25 financial year is at the end of this report. As of 31[st] August 2025, the Circuit had receipts of £107,739, payments of £88,770, and total funds remaining of £191,562. Of this remaining total, £19,742 was reserved for the Lay Missioner ‘project’, and a further £65,833 was held in a Model Trust Fund which could be used for projects in the Circuit only after approval by the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes (TMCP). Disregarding the Lay Missioner ‘project’ and TMCP monies, unrestricted funds increased by £31,500 to £105,986 during the financial year, largely due to the churches maintaining their contribution to the Circuit despite not needing to pay the stipend of a Superintendent Minister. The balance of unrestricted funds at year end equates to about 13 months of projected expenditure for when a Superintendent Minister is in place (as will be the case in 2025/26): our reserves are thus considered to be more than adequate given current guidelines. ## 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 the leadership team are trustees. The leadership team oversees the general management of the Circuit and 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; the members are otherwise consulted online and by email as and when required. ## Trustees Our typical time to change roles in the Circuit is Early September. Those changes are recorded at the Circuit Meeting in September. Trustees for the 2024/25 FY: - Rev’d Malcom Peacock (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 - 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: 4 November 2025 CIRCUIT RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Ceredigion Circuit FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 Wales Synod Cymru District Circuit no 2110 Registered Charaty- Charity Registratlon number 1188313 If n(>l a registered charity Her Maje5ty'5 Revsnua and Customs Gift Aid number NIA (The HMRC number Is equivalent to a registered charty number leims of evidence of charitable status and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence ol the organis81ion's chari18ble status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered cherilies are excepted from registration under Slalulory Instrumellt 2014 No.2421 Ministers.. Rev'd Malcolm Peacock Circuit Stewards- Elizabeth Edwards David Crimes Dionne Sherwood Michael Goodino......................................_......._............_._...................................... Treasurer". Michael Goodin 2015 Cifcuil R and P.￿& ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 Ceredi ion Circuit Cir¢uit restrictwl Model Trust Restrlcted Funds fund Funds Tota15 thls Totsls last SECTION A year yeaT RECEIPTS Note 82 Assessmenushare 74,827 74.827 74,827 a4 Bank and CFB inteie5t and Investment income 3,632 4.000 1.780 3,500 7,132 24.000 7.970 a5 Giant8 20,000 24,000 4,960 other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 1,780 a7 84,238.78 3.499.90 20.000.00 107,738.68 la81 111,757 SECTION B b1 PAYMENTS stipends. salaries, NIC. Pension and travel costs 15,989 9.781 22,584 38,572 69,133 b3 Manse Costs 9.781 9.839 b4 Administration etc 973 248 771 1,992 2.445 Di8tricV S nod Assessment 18.588 1,910 20.498 21.601 Giants & donations Czpita1 Project8 (Carbon reduction) 337 b7 1,880 5.528 4,904 6.784 6,143 83,770.34 25,465 3,837 other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 615 b9 52.738.64 7,062.16 23,969.$4 Ib91 132,657 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ¢1 a7_b9 31.$00 13,562 3.970 23,968 20,900 ¢2 Total funds t)iou ht foDNaid from last ear 74,486 76.396 16,711 167,593 106 188.493 ¢3 Sub total c1+c2 105,986 72.833 12,742 191,562 167,593 Transfèrs and adjustments 17,0001 7.000 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR Ic3+c41 105,986 65.833 19,742 191,562 Ic81 167.593 Ic6 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS these amounts should not be included Sn totsl recei tslpayments above) d1 Balance brou ht foThvgrd from last ear d2 Offerin sIGifts received for external 01 OfleringslGifts- passed to exterTral organisations BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID Id1 + d2- d3 anisations d3 d4 Ceredi ion Clrcutt SUPIthWIYOF CIRCUIT A¢¢0 TS trIDINYERNAL ANISATI REPORTING TOTHECIRCUITMEETING SECTION E Plea¥efollow th* Sutnmaryof the Cifcuil accounts forlhe yearended 31 August 2025 and lrtlemal Oroanisaiions reporting lolhe Ciicuil Mepling Note t1￿1 Ihe fijnds of n In￿[￿1 Organisationwould normally * Restricted funds vnless Ilttsuld tecleaily sthwn Ihallhey o)ulO bg u$ott foranyMelhc￿I&I putFose This sertton musl be completed lo3Trive atthe grogg receiptx paymertts totals of Ihe Circuit. Ilgross income oKeedsthe A¢crua15 threshold of 50,MO. then the AeGfuals method of awountiny AND A DIFFERENT FORM musi be ￿Se￿ lorepgrt Ihe atrounb ISEQ Molhodisiwobsdel. Pl&ase reter ￿ the ouidanr* notes re9arding Irsnafers the CIlCult8nd Conn￿le￿ Circuit Oig3nisation8. INTERNAL ORGANISAYIONS Nel Re￿p Payments Opening balances R&Si PA ments U$trn6nts balanG9S Cil¢uit¥toknnts{totsls blOUghtforwardfrom pzge Z-totals colufflnl 107,739 83,7YD 23,968 167,593 191,562 Ic81 HELD BY CIRcurr lQ7.739 83,770 23.968 167,593 191,562 ContynueoTr a separate TOTAL RECEIPTS TOTAL PAYMÉtrITS brlnq th8 lotsls farward SECTION F TATEPAENT OF ASSETS AND L LITIES OPENING BALANCES CLOSING BALANCES CiRCUIT- CASH FUNDS HELD at31 August 2025 ¢ash in han Bankcuirentknpunt 21.189 b>tsk Dep￿lIACcoUn* CeThtral Finan￿ BOE 70,009 100,183 rmsteesf0rmEth￿l5tc￿￿Ich PurpDs•s 76,395 65.833 (Kher funds SUB TOTAL 167.593 191.562 rotal by InlÈrna Oryanisatlons lthp 51Dg balantè its1a￿ above) le121 e12 TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELD BY¢IR¢UIT 167,593 191,562 SECTION OTHERASSETSand LIABILITIES 1 S krnber2￿3 È12Tr25 Inve8tsnents see r8 Ins￿2￿Ce value Loan earend other Liabilities f4 Indudeonly Funds hek* at theCe￿t￿￿ Finanto8odrd 1$ 5rt&￿e on1yCFB Fun¢5 alTrUsieesforM￿lhllds$t Church lTrrJutsÈ anyothf*rinvcslments (Trpl ￿ètashe1PmenI￿éTMCp Iiustaccounts thig its In$¢rted in liwf51 3of5 Name of Circuit.. Ceredigion Circuit No.. 2110 Declarations and Scrutiny I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2025 have been prepared from the records of the Circuit and that they include all funds under the control of the Circuit meeting. Signature of treasurer . Date 201912025 Name and address of treaSU￿r. Michael Gooding, Treetops. Cae Melyn Aberystwyth....................................... .. Post Code: SY23 2HA Presentation to the Circuit meeting I confirm Ihat the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 we presented to the Circuit meeting held on 9 October 2025 Signature of the Chair of the meeting Name of the Chair of the meeting: Rev. Tina Swire Date . 61111?.5......... Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Ceredigion Circuit Charity Number: 1188313 Responslbllltles and basis of Teport I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Ceredigion Circuit for the year ended 31 August 2025 set out on pages 2 to 3 As the Circuil's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 I'the Act,). I report in respect of my examination of the Circuiys accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)Ib) of the Act. delete or circle as appropriate 2015 C￿￿￿1 Px 4olS Name of Circuit.. Ceredigion Circuit..........-...................... No.. 2110 Independent Examiner's Statsment I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below.) which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. or the accounls do not accord with the accounting recoids. 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 enablè a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 1 Oihave not" obtsined independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balances and funds al the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in eX￿$S of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date. Signature of independent examiner Name of independent examiner Relevant professional qualIfi￿tion of independent examiner Name of firm (where appropriatel Address . Post Code 4ty Date delete or circle as appropriate ## Ceredigion Circuit • Accounts for year ending 31[st] August 2025 ## 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, and the funds to be spent only on approval of Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes (TMCP), unrestricted funds remaining at year end on 31[st] August 2025 amounted to £105,986 with total projected expenditure for a typical year of c. £90,000; i.e. we have more than is needed for the Reserves Policy. Monies in the Model Trust Fund held by TMCP (£65,833) largely arose from the sale of properties (Manse Wesley, Ty Canol and Penparcau Building) in previous years. The Circuit has drawn on this fund to contribute to the carbon reduction and Lay Missioner projects, and can request to use funds from this source for further projects subject to TMCP approval. ## 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. ||2023/2024|2024/2025| |---|---|---| |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 2024/25 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.