Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Charity number 1189773
Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020
| Contents | Page |
|---|---|
| Trustees' report | 2 to 6 |
| Examiner's report | 7 |
| Receipts and payments account | 8 |
| Statement of assets and liabilities | 9 |
| Notes to the accounts | 10 to 11 |
Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accounting Service
1
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Trustees' report for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020
Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: Name Position Dates
Position Dates Shakyapada Jenny Roberts Chair Appointed June 20 Mark Jones Treasurer Appointed June 20 Kathryn Readman Trustee Appointed June 20 Mark James Leech Trustee Appointed June 20 Frances Irene Hooker Trustee Appointed June 20 Robert Burdett Trustee Appointed June 20
Charity number
The charity was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, number 1189773, on 03 Jun 2020.
Principal address
Bankers
38 Gillygate Triodos Bank plc York Deanery Road YO31 7EQ Bristol BS1 5AS
Independent examiner
Simon Bostrom FCIE West Yorkshire Community Accounting Service Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
Structure, governance and management
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) formed on 3 Jun 2020.
Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees
The trustees of the charity are appointed by the members at the AGM.
2
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Trustees' report (continued) for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020
Objectives and activities
The charity's objects
The object of the CIO is to support the advancement of the Buddhist religion, in particular by: Encouraging members and others to live ethical lives in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha. Supporting ordained members of the Triratna Buddhist Community and other duly ordained Buddhists, at the discretion of the council of the CIO.
Maintaining close communication with and working under the guidance of the Triratna Buddhist order and in cooperation with other groups with the same objects.
Using applications of the Buddha's teaching to promote the health and well-being of all.
Encouraging members and others to live ethical lives in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha.
We are here to support people who wish to learn about and practise Buddhism. In order to achieve this we provide courses and classes which explore Buddhist practice. These include teaching basic meditation techniques to complete beginners, and more advanced classes and courses for those who want a deeper understanding of Buddhist practice and how this can be explored in contemporary society. We have a small Spiritual and Gift shop to provide access to meditation accessories, etc. and Buddhist literature not easily available elsewhere. All the work and teaching at our Centre, including the shop, is carried out by volunteers. No one is paid. We raise money from donations at the classes and events and from members of the Sangha (community). We aim to promote the Buddhist ethic of 'dana' or giving, so most of our activities are paid for by donation. People are free to attend even if they have no money. We have a commitment to making our activities and premises accessible to all by providing access for disabled people.
Supporting ordained members of the Triratna Buddhist Community and other duly ordained Buddhists, at the discretion of the Council of the CIO;
At the moment we do not support anyone. However, this may be necessary in the future as we grow, The contribution made by members of the Triratna Buddhist Order remains essential to provide the experience, depth of practice and understanding of Buddhism needed in a spiritual community, and to make this available to others.
Maintaining close communication with and working under the guidance of the Triratna Buddhist Order and in co-operation with other groups with the same objects;
We work in co-operation with other Triratna Centres, Retreat Centres and with the Preceptors College (which oversees the Ordination process). This allows us to maintain clarity with regard to our vision, to benefit from the experience of other groups with similar objectives, and so make the best use of the resources we have in York.
Using applications of the Buddha's teaching to promote the health and well-being of all.
Triratna Buddhist Community(York) is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our sangha, and eliminating discrimination. Everyone is welcome regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, income, sex and sexual orientation. People attending our classes or events classes do not have to be a Buddhist or feel the need to become a Buddhist.
Specifically, we do this by:
-
a. Holding services of worship and devotion;
-
b. Organising talks, courses, classes meditation sessions and retreats;
-
c. Publishing materials (written and online);
-
d. Raising funds and invite and receive contributions.
Our aim is to encourage members and others to live ethical lives in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha. So, the Triratna Buddhist Community (York) provides an understanding of Buddhism through a programme of classes and events, both for regular members of our group as well as for newcomers from the local community and others.
3
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Trustees' report (continued) for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020
Objectives and activities (Continued)
One of the main aspects of the Buddha's teaching is a grounding in Buddhist ethics. These ethical values are central to, and are threads that run through all the Buddha's teachings. Non-Buddhists are in no way expected or required to take on or follow these precepts. Instead, they are invited to test the ethical principles in their own lives to determine their effects on themselves and others around them, for the enhancement and benefit of society as a whole.
These ethical values are expressed in both a positive and negative form in what are called The Five Precepts:
Negative formulation:
I undertake to abstain from taking life.
I undertake to abstain from taking the not-given.
I undertake to abstain from sexual misconduct.
I undertake to abstain from false speech.
I undertake to abstain from taking intoxicants.
Positive formulation:
With deeds of loving kindness, I purify my body. With open-handed generosity, I purify my body. With stillness, simplicity, and contentment, I purify my body. With truthful communication, I purify my speech.
With mindfulness clear and radiant, I purify my mind.
The charity's main activities
We are a community of friends who support the Buddhist religion in York mainly through our Centre and online. Our activities encourage members and others to live ethical lives in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha. We use applications of the Buddha's teaching to promote the health and well-being of all through classes and courses and other means.
Public benefit statement
In setting our objectives and planning our activities the Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit and in particular the advancement of religion, encouraging members and others to live ethical lives in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha and, through those teachings, promoting the health and well-being of all.
Achievements and performance
A programme of classes and events has been available during the period. Normally these would be held inperson but, owing to the COVID-19 restrictions, all our activities have been online.
We have continued to run Sangha (community) nights on Zoom every Wednesday evening, throughout this period, covering a broad range of the Buddha's teaching together with a period of meditation. These have been attended by between eight and twenty sangha members.
We have run two separate study groups on Zoom, each of these is following part of the four-year Triratna Mitra Training Course which gives a comprehensive overview of the Triratna presentation of Buddhism: The Year One Group meets on Thursday evenings and the Year Two Group on Tuesday evenings. These have been well attended with nine members on Tuesdays and ten on Thursdays. These groups run for most of the year with breaks between modules.
Normally students in Year Two are required to be Mitras (i.e. they regard themselves as Buddhists, follow the Five Precepts and are committed to practising with Triratna for the time being).
4
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Trustees' report (continued) for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020
Achievements and performance (Continued)
During the COVID-19 pandemic we have been offering extra meditation sessions each weekday morning live on Facebook and YouTube. These each last around thirty-five minutes and were attended by between eight and thirty people. We believe that these sessions have been really helpful to people living their lives under restrictions and many of the morning meditators have gone on to join one of our Introduction to Buddhism Courses. Some have also joined our regular community and enjoyed other activities with us.
During the first lockdown we also ran a fifteen minute 'Morning Cuppa Meditation' at 11am Tuesday to Friday, which was attended by between eight and fifteen people each day. This was aimed particularity at nonmeditators and was an opportunity for them to sit quietly for fifteen minutes. This session ended on 31st July as many of the lockdown restrictions were eased.
During July, August and early September when groups and religious organisations were allowed to meet (with social distancing) we held one hour meditation sessions every fortnight in the open at Museum Gardens at York. They were popular. Numbers varied, but there would usually be between eight and twelve participants, some from our Sangha, some from the online meditations and some complete newcomers.
One of our objects is to promote the Buddha's teaching for the health and well-being of all and we know from feedback received that all these sessions have helped many people to cope with the restrictions of the COVID19 emergency
On Tuesday 7th July we ran an evening for those who wanted to know what was involved in becoming a Mitra and this was attended by 7 people, three of whom asked to become Mitras. Unfortunately it was not possible to hold their ceremony in late September as hoped due to tighter COVID-19 restrictions. We hope to perform this ceremony in Summer 2021.
In mid-July, we were able to access what was to become our own small but very welcome Buddhist Centre at 38 Gillygate, York. We asked for help with decorating and there followed a week in August when around fifteen volunteers descended on the premises and turned it from an empty shell into an attractive place to meet. The cost of fitting it out was substantial so we applied for and received a grant of £2000 from the Triratna Future Dharma Fund. One of the conditions of the grant was that we had to match the grant with another £2000 from supporters. We launched our appeal in early August and by September we had raised over £3000 from very generous local, national and international friends. This amount was enough to enable us to cover all our costs and to fully equip the new Centre.
In late August/early September we successfully completed the fitting out of a small gift/spiritual shop at the front of the Centre. Gillygate is a busy thoroughfare and we wanted to use our space well so that the costs of the centre could be eventually covered by the profit from the shop. The fitting out was paid out of the appeal but we used our own funds to buy around £3000 of stock which included Buddhist figures, meditation stools, yoga accessories, incense and burners, wind chimes, malas, spiritual books and other items. One of our community, someone who has managed a large store, offered to look after the shop and she managed to recruit around eight people each week to serve in two's on Tuesday to Friday afternoons in October. The shop took over £500 that month but had to close in November due to lockdown. It opened again in December from Tuesday to Saturday and again sold over £500 of goods.
Once restrictions are lifted we anticipate sales of over £1000 per month, the profit on which will cover our rent and utilities, leaving our donated funds to accumulated towards renting or maybe buying a much bigger Centre which we will need within the next two years. The lease for the centre was signed on 1st September 2020. The landlord - Shakyapada, who is also a trustee and Chair of the Centre - agreed a monthly rent of £400 per month (half the commercial rate) with the trustees. However, since we opened the Centre all rent has been waived, as we are not able to offer face to face activities and the shop has been closed for much of the time. This rent holiday is set to continue until such time as the Centre and shop are fully operational.
5
Trlratna Buddhlst Community (York) Trnstees. report (contlnued) for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020 Achievem•nts and pgrfomiance (Continued) We ran an IntrodUCtir to Buthlhism c[Se on fc AljaYe¥&ry frrm 21st Septwber. This was smaller than (wr usual inth¢)use courses {held at the auaker Centre bef(xe we berxne a charity) ixrtvras stil attended ty elèven very enthusiastc nv•AyJmers to BLvJdliM). This ds folk)ed in by wr first Yth-on course. Nbthich looked more deeply into Buddhist wactte. Arth tthEfve atteTrkd. many the first course. Some ¢ are rv)w members of (xjr cnMunty. In OctoberlNovembgr a wt Order rnemtfrcrfn MarKthster. TaravarKlana. a gc•Jd fn.end to (r Centre, held a cj[s8 spread over three M(W evenirgs lookirKJ al'FEiendship the Saryha. was attendèd by fifteen people. both regulars arKI newcomers. Taravandana jolrd again on 15th Novefflber to a Day Retreat entstled Th6 Taste of Freed¢xn' was att•rKted by S8 peoth. We have also enc(WTaged CAJr Saruha m8miErs to atte1 events and rptTeats offered by the wlder movement and many have laken this optM)thnity to deepen their practi. W8 have publ1j w events thrW 8 7Ae-rthtter twrx1uwl by 8 memter of our Sangha, through ial media. mainty Fac¢b¢y)k . and vw our V•Ebsite al w4V.rktKhEtrXth.0rg We have also estsblished a substantial library of Buddhist tsks in the Centre so that thtyare available to everyone withoul Ihe nd to buy. 8 iKk I tKK)ks a for a month at a time. There Is no charge bjt suggest a £1 donation Lwk to o)ver costs. Tr lknary was funded m051ty from our Irome ¥th some donat¥)ns of b(M)ks frcrfn others. It has been a tsjsystx MlS a smal lty a ceSsful orft. Our sangha has gr¢Jhn ilh an estimated fty to fifty e w) attend tht one even every mcth. this includes a reguL4r ccffe sangha of around thirty people who atteThJ most weeks. For our income rely on our sarKJha arKI peo have ten vgrygenercMAs in SLirwty the thatrty. rnY Mak regtslar ¢knaticYts thrw stanth.ng orders while others prefer to donate a more ad IKK basts 1hrh PayPal. Finally. tI)Ugh the [k)YS and reslrKtK)ns have W tlwr difftulli8s. there has been an upsNJe lo the pandemic, irr that have attracted rople York as well a% kKal We habe discovered new dys of reathiThJ out to me through aThJ s(x#al media broad&ts. When we relum to In.[sOn classes, Isubiect lo a suitaNe broadband siqnall to be at4e to maintain ontTh aclxs fDr those WIK). forvknatev8r reason, find rt difftult to trdvel to our Centre. FSnar>¢ial rov1 The net receipts forthe pericxl w £12.477. Rèserves poli¢y The drI$ free reserves, exduding )Ix@l assets. at end Thpre £12.471. We have no fonnaj at prgsenL Signe(l on behall of the toad of trustees: Fustee)
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Triratna Buddhist Community (York) Charitable Incorporated Organisation ('the CIO')
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020, which are set out on pages 8 to 11.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the CIO you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the CIO's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
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 CIO as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2 the accounts do not accord with those 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.
Signed: …………………………………… Name: Simon Bostrom
Relevant professional qualification or body: FCIE
Date: ………5/05/2021………..
West Yorkshire Community Accounting Service
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
7
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Receipts and payments account
for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020
| Notes 2020 Unrestricted funds £ Receipts Grants and donations (2) 6,200 Shop sales 1,540 Other income 3 Gift aid 858 Income from association 11,807 Total receipts 20,408 Payments Marketing and publicity 238 Books, resources and stock 4,795 Training 100 Printing, postage and stationery 102 IT software and consumables 874 Furniture and equipment - Bank charges 83 Utilities 216 Insurance 825 Centre refurbishment and decoration 362 Sundry 132 Telephone 204 Total payments 7,931 12,477 Fund balances brought forward - Fund balances carried forward (3) 12,477 Net receipts / (payments) |
2020 Restricted funds £ 5,252 - - - - 5,252 - - - - - 1,326 - - - 3,926 - - 5,252 - - - |
2020 Total funds £ 11,452 1,540 3 858 11,807 25,660 238 4,795 100 102 874 1,326 83 216 825 4,288 132 204 13,183 12,477 - 12,477 |
|---|---|---|
8
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Statement of assets and liabilities
| as at 31 December 2020 2020 Unrestricted £ Cash funds Cash at bank 12,205 Cash in hand 272 Total cash funds 12,477 Other monetary assets Debtors Prepayments - Insurance Stream - water bill Barmley retreat deposit Sept 2021 Assets retained for the charity's own use 21 x stackable chairs HP laptop Liabilities Independent examination Room rental March 2020 - Quaker Society |
2020 Restricted £ - - - |
2020 Total £ 12,205 272 12,477 £ 504 551 45 100 1,200 £ 450 401 851 |
|---|---|---|
Approval of the accounts
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on
Date: …………19/04/2021………
Signed: …………Shakyapada Jenny Roberts……… (Trustee)
9
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Notes to the accounts
for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020
1 Accounting policies
Basis of accounting
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
10
Triratna Buddhist Community (York)
Notes to the accounts continued
for the period 3 June 2020 to 31 December 2020
| 2 Grants and donations Triratna Future Dharma Fund Dana - General Donations Dana - Newcomers Dana - Recurring Payment Dana - Standing Orders Dana - Study Dana - New Central Appeal 3 Restricted funds Refurbishment fund Fund name Refurbishment fund |
2020 2020 2020 Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds funds £ £ £ - 2,000 2,000 1,835 - 1,835 81 - 81 247 - 247 3,982 - 3,982 55 - 55 - 3,252 3,252 6,200 5,252 11,452 Balance b/f Incoming Outgoing Transfers Balance c/f £ £ £ £ £ - 5,252 5,252 - - - 5,252 5,252 - - Purpose of restriction Funds provided from the Triratna Future Dharma Fund matched by donations raised from an appeal. |
|---|---|
4 Related party transactions
Trustee expenses
No trustee received any expenses during this accounting period.
Trustee remuneration and benefits
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this accounting period.
Other related party transactions
The charity is located in premises owned by one of the trustees - Shakyapada Jenny Roberts. During the year refurbishment costs of £3,591 were incurred relating to that property. The charity will rent the property at £400 per month but no rental costs were incurred during the accounting period due to the Covid 19 restrictions.
There were no other related party transactions.
11