LEICESTER AREA QUAKER MEETING Annual Report of Trustees 2024 th Agreed at Trustees Meeting 14 August 2025 Minute 25.27 th Adopted Area Meeting 14 September 2025 Minute 25.50 CONTENTS Objectives and activities Structure, Governance and Management Trustees Business 2024 Spiritual Life of Area Meeting Financial Report General Information Appendix A: Accounts for Year Ending December 312024 Appendix B: Annual Report- Leicester Local Quaker Meeting Sanctuary Meeting Committee Leicester Area Quaker Meeting Annual Report 2024 l. Objectives and Activities Leicester Area Meeting is a charity established for the advancement of religion and other charitable purposes according to the principles and practices of Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. It was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation ICIOI in November 2020, registration number 1192277. Formerlyi as a religious charity, it had been exempted from reElStration. The object of the charity, stated in clause 3 of the adopted governing documents, is the furtherance of the general religious and charitable purposes of the religious Society of Friends in the area of Leicester and beyond. 2. Structure, Governance and Management Leicester Area meeting has four Local Quaker Meetings in Leicester, LoughborouBh, Oakham and RuBbv. Loughborough does not own a Meeting house and currently rents a room in a civic building in the town. Leicester, Oakham and Rugby Local Meetings own their own Meeting house5. Area Meeting adopted the following Governance documents and appointed the first Trustees on the Ig, October 2008. The Governonce document.. is based upon the model prepared by the Quaker Stewardship committee. Terms of Reference for Trustees.. the document was revised and updated by Trustees and adopted by Area Meeting on 12, July 2020. Memorandum of Understanding.. this document describes the relationship between Area Meeting, the Trustees and the local Meetings and defines'who does what,. The document was revised by Trustees and the new version adopted by Area Meeting on 12 July 2020. Trustees and officers are appointed by Leicester Area Meeting. The Area Nominations Committee nominates three members of Area Meeting for consideration as Trustees. Ideally each of the four Local Meetings nominates one of their members to Area Meeting for consideration as Trustees. The Clerk or Co-clerks of Trustees is nominated from among the trustees for consideration and appointment by Area Meeting. Ordinarily the clerk of Trustees appointment is for a three year term and may be renewed for a second three year term. 3. Trustees, Business The Trustees met four times in 2024 and minutes were kept. Three were blended meetings, with an additional online meeting to discuss the Annual Report for 2023, and the November meeting an informal catch up as the Clerk of Trustees was too unwell to attend. Discussions have included regular verbal reports on each Local Meeting, property maintenance and repairs, administration of Area Meeting finances and safeguarding. Trustees agreed to monitor all policy documents on rotation. As well as regular business items there were discussions of major repairs to a wall at Oakham Meeting House, and an online meeting with Britain Yearly Meeting to discuss BYM finances and our contribution. Our Clerk of Trustees Hilary Ludlow passed away on ilh of December 2024 and is much missed. Safeguarding Reports on safeguarding were heard at each Trustees meeting. The safeguarding co-ordinator has devolved a list of roles within meetings where volunteers need awareness of safeguarding issues. She continues to develop training and DBS checks within the local meetings. Her request for a deputy safeguarding co-ordinator was fulfilled. Finances and investments During 2024 we monitored our Area Meeting budget at each Trvstees meeting. The value of investments with Rathbone Greenbank and the savings in the Hinckley and Rugby Building Society short term deposit account were monitored at each meetin8. The volatility of the current markets resulted in a fall in value of the Rathbone investments from £186,133 at 31 Dec 2023 to £181,884 at 31 Dec 2024. There were £4,536 in dividends received, with a net increase of £287 considered as total return. Trustees continued to be concerned at the lacklustre performance of the portfolio and considered alternative investment strategies. The Insured value of the three Meeting Houses was reassessed for insurance purposes and as a result revalued at £5,911,376. This is an increase of £ 1,268,866 from the last valuation. The benefits of all Local Meetings using the online accounting package, Quick Books, continues to be appreciated. The 2024 accounts which will be submitted to the Charity Commission were examined externally by CAP Plus. Meeting Houses and Stewardship Our Meeting houses have been open throughout the year and several Meetings for Worship held as a blended meeting. Income from lettings continued to improve through 2024. Quinquennial reviews are up to date. Leicester Meeting holds regular meetings of the Premises Committee and has funds set aside for maintenance and repair. Spiritual Life of Leicester Area Quaker Meeting in 2024 Leicester Area Quaker Meeting held five Meetings for Worship for Business in 2024. It was decided at the end of 2023 to reduce from six per year. However, in October 2024 we held an extra meeting which was online only, to approve the Annual Report and Accounts for 2023 $0 that they could be sent to the Charity Commission before the deadline. Including the online only meeting in October, the average attendance was 23 Friends and attenders. Our meetings were held in turn at the meetinE houses land in the case of Loughborough, the usual meetinE room) of all the local meetinES. Many Friends attended local Meeting for Worship in the morning and stayed for lunch to socialize with local Friends before Area Meeting in the afternoon. Minutes were written in the meeting after the manner of the Society of Friends, and published in Our Quaker Voices. They are filed, with the supporting documents for each meeting, in the Area Meeting minute book. Annual reports were written by local meetings, in which the clerks for Oakham, Leicester, Rugby and Loughborough detailed the activities and progress of each meeting during the previous year. These reports can be seen by applying to the Area Meeting clerk and were published in Our Quaker Voices. Our meetings have dealt with applications for membership (we accepted 4 Friends into membership of the Society in 20231, transfers of membership and the recording of deaths, and nominations to the many Area Meeting roles. We have discussed and, where appropriate, accepted Trustees, recommendations for the management of our bank accounts and finances, read new and revised policies from Trustees and looked closely at the Annual Report and Accounts 2023, which was accepted at the specially convened online Area Meeting and AGM in October. Area Meeting remains the primary executive body of our charity. We have received regular reports from our representatives on Meeting for SufferinES and have SUPPOrted Friends to attend a variety of other conferences and meetings and training courses, including attending Yearly Meeting. Where possible our Area Meetings have been held as blended meetings. The online option serves some Friends who are unable to travel or those pressed for time. It was not possible to offer an online option at Oakham Meeting House. In the course of the year we also: heard reports and held discussions on the proposal to replace Meeting for Sufferings with Continuing Yearly Meetings- discussed whether the term "eldership" should be replaced by the term "spiritual nurture" some meetings discussed the Yearly Meeting topic of Truth and Integrity in public life and reported back,. consulted all Friends on whether to hold Area Meetings on a Saturday or weekday evening as well as the usual Sunday afternoon,. discussed whether to create a fifth local meeting, which would be an entirely online community.. agreed to finance a Woodbrooke Where You Are day at Leicester Meeting House on 28, September entitled, "George Fox on Spirituality, Community, Witness and Hope": discussed how we sustain Area Meeting's funds by looking at contributions from both local meetings and individual Friends- heard reports from Oakham Friends about the rebuilding of the boundary wall of the Meeting House. All our work has been documented with six editions of Our Quaker Voices, which serves as a newsletter to all Friends and Attenders, ably edited by Carol Rowntree-jones. Sustainability During 2024 Sustainability was again a standing item on all Area Meeting agendas, and reports from local meetin8s were received re8ularly. Local activities included= Friends took a new Quakers for Climate Justice banner to a Leicester city centre vigil and began holding a monthly vigil outside Leicester Friends Meeting House; Meetings considered the issue of creating the crime of "Ecocide" which would become the fifth crime against the peace and security of humanity, alongside war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide and aggression. Many Friends attended the Climate Justice sessions offered by our Local Development Worker. Area Meeting heard about the arrest and imprisonment of one of our Friends and wrote to Meeting for Sufferings requesting that she be added to the Prison and Court Register. Ru8by Friends.. went on the Restore Nature Now March in London in June with Green Christians, meeting others from the Midlands Green Quakers group there- met with their local MP and asked him to support the Nature and Climate Bill,. explored switching the meeting house to a greener electricity supplier,. helped Transition Town Rugby prepare the Eco-Hub for opening in October. Main Achievements Leicester Area Meeting has provided a continuous presence of Meetings for Worship of all sorts ft)r our own members and for the wider public, and we have actively witnessed to our testimonies to peace, justice, equality, simplicity and the earth. We have been a supportive and welcoming community. We have made ourselves aware of the many crises facinE our world in the form of climate change, nature destruction and war, and where able have actively worked to create a better future. As always, we go forward in a spirit of hope. Membership ofthe Area Meeting At the end of the year the total membership was 205, the same as at the end of 2023. 5. Financial Report Overview The finances of Leicester Area Meeting remain strong with cash funds (including our building society atcountsl of £284,353. This is £6,123 less than at the end of 2023. The value of our investments fell by £4,104 during 2024, from £192,563 to £188,459. When the cash funds and the value of the investments are combined, the total assets at the end of 2024 were £472,812, a fall of £10,22312.2Y.I compared with the end of 2023. Income The total income for 2024 was £103,123, compared with £109,086 in 2023. Key points to note are as follows. Contributions The total contributions rose to £44,974, an Inc￿aSe of nearly £6,OQX) compared with 2023. This follows an increase of nearly £3,000 between 2022 and 2023. Gift Aid receipts During 2024 we claimed Eift aid on behalf of the whole of Leicester Area Quaker Meeting for 2023. This was divided between each local meeting in proportion to the contributions received. The total of £6,953 from HMRC was divided up as follows.. Leicester £3,868 £792 Loughborough Oakham £933 Rugby TOTAL £1,360 £6,953 In 2023, we claimed for 2021 and 2022 which came to a total of £12,457. This explains the significant fall in this item between 2023 and 2024. ## **Lettings income (hirings)** The lettings income, predominately from Leicester Local Meeting, stabilized during 2024, having made a good recovery following the years of the pandemic lockdown. The total income from this source was £39,833. ## **Expenditure** The total expenditure for 2024 was £109,246, compared with £140,793 in 2023. The main reason for this fall was that both Leicester and Rugby Meetings invested significantly in improvements to their meeting houses in 2023, which meant that expenditure was well above the normal running costs. Key points to note are as follows. ## **Salaries** Employment costs rose significantly in 2024 from £21,549 in 2023 to £27,201 in 2024 when the salaries of the three part time members of staff at Leicester Meeting were increased in line with the Real Living Wage. ## **Expenditure on Meeting Houses** The expenditure on major works during 2024 was £8,830 compared with £23,914 in 2023, when both Leicester and Rugby Meetings invested in improvements. The only costs of major works during 2024 were incurred with the refurbishment of the toilets at Leicester Meeting House. ## **Insurance** The total annual insurance premium was £5,812, which was paid by Area Meeting funds. Each local meeting transferred funds from their accounts to cover this cost. **----- Start of picture text -----**
£
Leicester £3,593
Loughborough £119
Oakham £1,147
Rugby £953
TOTAL £5,812
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Donations** Total donations were £17,036. These were mainly contributions to Quaker bodies, including Britain Yearly Meeting. Area Meeting gave a total of £3,600 to support local asylum seekers. This was divided equally between Leicester City of Sanctuary and the Leicester branch of the Red Cross. A report from the Sanctuary Committee is added to this report as Appendix B. This committee monitors how these donations are spent on behalf of Area Meeting. ## **Repairs and Maintenance** The expenditure on repairs and maintenance in 2024 was £19,744. This including the rebuilding of one of the garden walls at Oakham Meeting House, which partially collapsed early in the year. Rugby Meeting also organized some decorating following the installation of the new heating system in 2023. ## **Children’s Bursary Fund and Care Fund** There were no payments made from the Children’s Bursary Fund in 2024, but we made one payment from the Care Fund of £500. The Children’s Bursary Fund nominally stands at £1,802 and the Care Fund 7 at £28,466. However, these monies are not kept in separate bank accounts and are not recorded as restricted funds in our accounts. Investments The value of the Area Meeting's investments with Rathbone Greenbank fluctuated through 2024, as the stock market continued to be volatile. At the end of 2023 they were valued at £186,133 and by the end of 2024, the value had fallen to £181,884. This was still above the low point late in November 2023 when the value had fallen to £171,599. Dividends continued to be paid and we received a total of £4,536 of income from this source. These investments were made with a view to maintaining the value of the Area Meeting's assets in the long run and in supporting initiatives that encourage sustainable sources of energy. Trustees continue to monitor the situation carefully, given the ongoing volatility of the market. 6. General Information Full name: Leicester Area Quaker Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends lQuakersl in Britain Organisation type: Charitable incorporated organisation Registered charity number: 1192277 Principal address: Quaker Meeting House, 16 Queen's Road, Leicester. LE2 IWP Trustees: Deane, James- Leicester representative, Clerk to Trustees Dnes, Jennifer AM Treasurer Fishenden, Anne- AM representative Hilary Ludlow- RIP 17112124- Oakham Representative Matthews, Nicholas- Rugby representative Walker, David- Loughborough representative Officers of the Area meeting: Julian Rees Clerk,. Jennifer Dnes Treasurer- Beth Gaylard - Safe guarding Co-ordinator Bankers.. Lloyds Bank, Co-op Bank, Santander Bank, Natwest Bank Building Society: Hinckley and Rugby Building Society Investment portfolio: Rathbone Greenbank Custodian Trustee: Friends Trust Limited, Friends House, 173, Euston Road, London NWI 2BJ. Signed.. Date.. 71912025 James Deane Clerk to Trustees APPENDIX A: Accounts for Year Ending 31 December 2024 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Leicester Area Quaker Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) In Britain I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Lei￿ster Area Quaker Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) In Britain (the charity) for the year ended 31 December 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the trustees of the charity 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 charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and 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 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. 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 Date 0811012025 Eva Stevens BSC CPFA employee of Community Accounting Plus io Leicester Area Quaker Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) In Britain Receipts & payments account for the year ended 31 December 2024 2023 2024 Total Unrestricted Totsl nds Funds Funds Receipts 2611 Bank interest 39116 Contributions & collections 3692 Dividends 12457 Gift aid receipts 3000 Grants & legacies 39596 Hirings 38 Publications 8576 Other income 109086 Total receipts 4126 44974 4536 6954 1500 39833 10 1190 103123 4126 44974 4536 6954 1500 39833 1190 103123 Payments 21549 Wages, Nl & pension 145 Bank charges 11216 Conferences, training, BYM 806 Library & literature 70 Office hoklers expenses 335 Overseers and out reach 51 Printing ,marf(eting & office costs 22351 Donations given 6489 Legal & professional 5756 Fumiture & equipment 1570 Gardening 5372 Insurance 1233 ￿ & website 23914 Majorworf(s & repairs 3741 Materials & supplies 5228 Other support costs 17776 Repairs & Maintenan 1743 Room hire 11400 Utilities 48 Sundry 140793 Total payments 27201 67 2307 936 134 35 821 17116 2974 1440 1210 5813 1970 8380 2403 3157 19744 2108 11430 27201 67 2307 936 134 35 821 17116 2974 1440 1210 5813 1970 8380 2403 3157 19744 2108 11430 109246 109246 {317071 Net receiptsl(payments) 322183 Cash funds at start ofthis period 290476 Cash funds at end of this period (6123) 290476 284353 (6123) 290476 284353 11 Leicester Area Quaker Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends In Britain (Quakers) Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2024 2023 2024 Cash assets Bank accounts 290476 290476 284353 284353 Other monetary assets Investments .'Area Rathbone Greenbank (Area General) Investments.. CCLA (Area general) 186133 6430 192563 181884 6575 188459 Debtors Employment Allowance receivab 634 634 Assets retained for the charity's own use General equipmenL Liabilities Creditors 1184 (1184) 1409 {1409 h addition the charity holds fu￿lOnal property comprisirKJ three meeting h)LEes with insured values as follows.. Meeting House Leicester Meeting House Rugby Meeting House Oakham 2958743 760822 922945 4642510 3711449 954376 1245551 5911376 These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by.. Signed Jennifer Dnes, Trustee Q/￿8 Date.. 71912025 12 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Leicester Area Quaker Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) In Britain 1. Receipts & payments accounts Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand. 2. Area analysis Opening Receipts (Payments) Transfers balance Closing balance Areas Area General Leicester LM Loughborough LM Oakham LM Rugby LM Acting as Agent 61726 14595 91902 59057 61645 5363 8457 9046 66498 14538 248 524 290476 103123 113318) {535) 62468 1612101 260 90009 13535) 624 64097 1132341 {136) 4133 117243) {213) 63580 706 66 109246 284353 The transfers reflect internal recharges for central costs like insurance, distribution of gift aid collected at Area Meeting, and bring the fund balan￿$ into line with the locally held bank balances at year end. 3. Creditors Independent Examination Tax and NICS Pensions payable Acting as Agent payments (1092) {1011 {1501 66 (1409) 4. Trustees. remuneration Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period. 5. Related party transactions During this period there were no related party transactions. 6. Glossary of terms Creditors.. These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period. Leicester Area Quaker Meeting Receipts and Payments account by Meeting for the year to 31 December 2024 Area Leicester Lough borough Acting as Agent Oakham Rugby Tot812024 Receipts Bank Interest CoDlribuliL￿5 and ColkCt￿ns Divid8nds Gift Aid R￿elP1S Grants 2nd Leg%ies 1731 1564 4347 689 24061 179 119 5244 1587 7790 4126 44974 4536 6954 15 39833 11 5791 524 500 33628 1000 1065 1189 5140 Other income Saks Total recÈi 10 14538 10 103123 14595 59057 5363 9045 524 Payments Wages. Nl and pensi ank charges Conferenc88, traning, BYM Library 8nd literature Office hoklers, expenses Overseers and oulre*h Printing. adverts. photLwpying, m￿la Administration Donation8 to non Quaker bodies Donations to Quaker b￿1&$ Donations to individua l￿al and professional Furniture 8 wuipment Gardens Insurance IT and websit& costs Major works materia￿ & supplies Other support Costs Icleaningl Repairs & mainlen8nc& Room hir& Utih'lEs 27101 67 354 368 100 27201 67 2307 936 1492 95 203 366 128 238 125 35 110 15 285 5150 175 1226 1440 425 35 821 109 145 3900 431 425 305 450 3950 880 524 512 1S4 17036 200 500 1224 2974 785 1210 5813 1970 5813 913 8380 2303 228 5479 265 560 100 2403 3157 19744 2188 11430 2485 3811 1ffi53 1794 7147 1262 3010 Total m8nts 13319 61210 3536 13233 17243 706 109248 Net Inlout 1277 121521 1828 141881 127051 11821 16123 Transfer5 IS3S 260 624 11361 enin Closin baLgnce 81 bank balance 61727 62468 91902 90009 61845 64097 86498 63581 248 66 290476 2B4353 4133 Closing babn¢e he￿ in bank a¢¢ounts as". 17270 45198 39130 190 50689 90009 56fj57 7440 4133 11482 31058 21040 635BO 66 128737 83887 71729 284353 62468 64097 4133 66 APPENDIX B: Annual Report from Leicester Local Quaker Meeting Sanctuary Meeting Committee - June 2025 Background Leicester Area Meeting sUPPOrts asylum seekers and refugees in Leicester by donating £4000 a year, divided equally between Leicester City of Sanctuary ILCOSI and the Leicester branch of the Red Cross Refugee Support Service. Leicester Local Meeting became a Sanctuary Meeting in November 2018 and is committed to easing the situation of local asylum seekers. This report is an update from the Sanctuary Meeting Committee for the benefit of Leicester Local Meeting, trustees, and Area Meeting on the activities of the Meeting in supporting asylum seekers in Leicester the work of LCOS and the Red Cross locally between July 2024 and June 2025. Sanctuary Committee activities 2024-25 The committee met 3 times between lune 2024 and June 2025. At each of our meetings we discussed the difficulties faced by asylum seekers and refugees, particularly in light of the current hostile political situation. An appeal after meeting for worship. given by Mick Walker from LCOS took place in December inviting Friends to donate to the Big Give fundraising campaign for LCOS. The appeal highlighted the very difficult circumstances of asylum seekers living in hotels with little contact with family and friends, extremely limited funds, and fears of violence from right wing extremists. Involvement in supporting asylum seekers Sheila Mosley chaired the Oadby and Wigston Multi Agency Forum IMAFI which brings together statutory and voluntary agencies that are involved with staff and asylum seekers at Kennedy House in South Wigston on behalf of Leicester Meeting. In December 2024 SERCO abruptly closed Kennedy House and all the residents were moved to different destinations, away from the companionship and support that they had built up, in some cases over several years. Shockingly there was no communication with any of the agencies that sit on MAF in sUPPOrt of the residents, who were concerned about the emotional and psychological impact the sudden move would have on vulnerable residents. A strongly worded letter was sent by the group. The Oadby and Wigston MAF has now been laid down and the 2 remaining asylum seekers in the area are now supported by the county-wide MAF. Fundraising for LCOS and The Red Cross During December Leicester Meeting donated £100 to LCOS for the Big Give and a further ÉIOO to the Red Cross. Money is being collected from tea and coffee payments after meeting for worship and is paid in equal proportions to LCOS and the Red Cross. This year £400 has been given. Financial sUPPOrt from Leicester Area Meeting Leicester City of Sanctuary Our four principal areas of work have continued throughout the year- the Hub on Wednesdays, the NEST project helping refused asylum seekers to gather evidence for fresh claims, the Textiles group on Thursdays and ESOL classes run in conjunction with the University of Leicester. We work with many partners at the Hub. They find it a good way to reach out to new arriva15 in the city. We were able to run sessions providing advice on pregnancy, new parenthood, cardiac an oral health, skills for work, housing and practical energy conservation advice. Most importantly in terms of our clientele, we have been able to offer advice on mental health and have contributed to academic research. Trips Out this year include Gorse Hill Farm, city museums, Bradgate Park and Abbey Park and Leicester City FC. The crowning achievement of the Textiles group was the creation of the Welcome Dress which was exhibited at New Walk Museum for several months, alongside some wonderful artwork from our creative sessions at the Hub. We continue to rely financially on donations from individuals and groups such as the Quakers. We are extremely grateful for your support. We are also very fortunate to have an outstanding bunch of volunteers who are almost as diverse as the people we seek to help every week. Mick Walker Red Cross Refugee Support Service Red Cross supported 4,129 service users during this period. 2,019 of these were destitute andlor homeless. The top nationalities were Afghanistan, Iraq, Eritrea, Sudan and Iran. The government has agreed to pilot a new 56 day 'move-on' policy for newly granted refugees but many are still falling into rough sleeping as they are not eligible for Leicester City Council's homelessness assistance. Refused asylum seekers with no recourse to public funds also rely on destitution support. Caseworkers continue to deliver intensive and expert casework inteNentions and our Quaker funds are used to provide hardship funds and to purchase sleeping bags for rough sleepers. Red Cross has a partnership with University of Leicester's Law Clinic to provide immigration and asylum advice which in some way address issues with lack of legal aid solicitors in Leicester and issues such as refugee family reunion applications and fresh asylum claims. They have a new partnership with the Helen Bamber Foundation to provide mental health care and treatment to service users who have suffered complex trauma and victims of gender-based violence. Conclusion We hope this report shows that the funds provided by Area Meeting continue to support the work of City of Sanctuary and the Red Cross Refugee Service effectively and request that Area Meeting continues to contribute £2,000 to both LCOS and to the Red Cross1£4,000 in totall. Leicester LM Sanctuary Meeting Committee Jenny Mattingly, Anne Fishenden, Sheila Mosley, Angela Walker