Kendal and Sedbergh Area Quaker Meeting Annual report and accounts for the year ending December 31s12023 Charity registration number 1197234 Contents Pages 1. Accounts for the year ending December 31 St 2023 (CC16a). 2. Extemal Examinerfs report 3. Trustees, Annual Report CHARITY COMM15510N FOR ENGLANO AND WALES Recei ts and ayments accounts CC16a oi Section A Receipts and payments lJnr•$trf¢tod fvnd8 t)d• Tot•1 LMI y••r A1 ts 15• •iJS0 1,196 $l¢r 1• 10.1 741 ••a TrArrtfth Sub lo¢8llGmss AR) JJ A2 A•s•t •nd Inwthnt ¥4••. 1•0• t•bl•l. Equlth* & mèn •7J* 121133 179,1)80 •nl• CosL%o*genoi Fundm coal8 Ilr&l •n1￿ 21A20 J.T93 110.729 313 lJ4S 107.lJt Out 1.75 l•.n7 Sub tot•1 121MJ7 2•K471 A4 As*•t and In¥Mtm•nt purchaM•, l••• tab￿) Sub iot•l 1Z1.0$1 1245 158M71 20TA71 metolr8cei￿(payM*fttsJ AS Tr•n8ffern lund8 A6 Cash funds la$t •nd C•sh funds Ihls ye•rend 5,•21 2e,391 IiIT.135 IIM331 •5,525 113,916 11$25 X.5•1 CCXXR1 a￿￿4￿{$$￿ 2•J￿ra)24 Section B Statement of assets and liabil ities at the end of the period Unrnsbid•(l Rèstsicted funds EndowrnAnt lon•JMBtE B1 Cash lund• To&il cash 20.581 fvnds tr*n•irHt£ Oetslls eWrVnt¥￿• D•loils 83 InbMtm•nt ••••ts 231.4TF 43J03 Details B4 Assel¥ r•laln•d forth• ¢harltys own u 16.17• Dètails kin 85 LSabSlltl•s 52 TQT Date fov behaw 65 Independent examinefs report on the accounts Section A Independeni Examiner's Report Report to the tntsteesl I membor4 of l KeThlal & Sedbergh kn Quaker Meetng On accounts for the year on(1od 31* December 2023 Charity no ,, 1197243 {If •ny) Sot out on pagos One to Iwo. Respecllve The thartvs truslees are responsknle for the preparation ofthe a¢¢ounls. responslbllltles of The charitys twstees con&der that an audrt is not required for this yeaf Irusl•es and •xamln•r uThJer Secti￿ 144 01 the charrt￿$ Act 20111kn8 Chantl&s Act) and that an independent exaMinat￿n ￿ needed. It ￿ my responsibilty to examine the a¢¢ounts under section 145 of the Chariiies Act. lo follth¥ Ihe pro¢edures kid down wi the general Dire(lions given by the Charty ComMiss￿n (under se¢aion 14515)Ib) of the Chanties Act, and to #ate whether partlcular matters ha%* o)me to my attent￿n. 8asls of ind•pond•nt My examin4￿n was camed oth in ¥C￿l(lanr2 wth general Diredions given examln•r's stai•monl by Ihe Charty CoMmiss￿n. An examlnallon includes a review of the accwnting records kept by the tharrty and a companson of the accounts presented wrth those records. tt also Inctsjdes considerat￿n of any unusual rtems or dlsclosures li the acrA)unts and seeki)g explanatw)n$ from the tW5tee5 concernng any such matters. The procedu￿S undertaken do not provth all the evidence that would be rnqubfed in an audrt. and consequentty no opift￿n ￿ givan a510 whether Ihe a¢¢oufrts present a Irue and fair, wew and the report is h"miied to those matters set out in the stalement belrjw. Indopendent In connethon wrth my examinatK>n. no matter has come to my attentlon examlne¢s statement 1. wh￿h gives reasonablo cause lo belitrN* that ii. any malenal respect, the requirements lo keep a¢count*)g records in accordance wrth sectK)n 130 of the Chanlies Act. and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and compty wth the accounting requifemenis of the Chavrties Act have not been met. or 2. to which, m my opinion, attent￿n sI￿uld be drawn in order to enable proper underslandng of the accwnts to be ￿aChed. Slgned: l)ate: 1 1P. August 2024. ReVd. Clements MA ACIB. FCIE Relevanl professional I quallncation(sD ¢x body FeHry• ofthe A¥¥01)atK￿ of Charty Independent Examiners Ilf any): Addyoss: 15 Carteton Road, Greai Kntr41*, Chorfey PR6 8TQ IER March 2012 Kendal and Sedbergh Area Quaker Meeting Trustees, Annual Report for the period January 1¥t 2023 to December 31st 2023. Charity reglstration number:1197234 1. Objectives and Activities The objects of the charity are Ihe fvrther￿ of the felwis and charilaile pury)058s of the Religious Society of Friends in the Kermlal and Sedbergh Area and b6yorKI. The activllles of the charlty indude: the right holding ol publ￿ meetings for worship in our constituent meebngs: fostering the spiritual lrfe and devek)sMnent of au PAembers and Attenders at these meetings: the holding of regular meetings for thurth affairs (i.e. txtstiiess) in all th8 cmstituent meetings and for the Area Meeting as a whole; maintsining our places for vA)rship and burial grounds: spreading the messages of Quakerism in our communittes: working in pursuit of our Quaker concems and testimonies. These objects form a key part of the Society's ro￿ in providing a public benofil. The means lo achieve these objects are crften similar from year to yew and br)clude publbCAsing our meetings and activities. Statement ot Public Benefit Of the Area Meeting's four Local Meetings. Kendal remains the largest and Kirkby Stephen is the smallest. The other Meetings are at Bl￿fiOts arKI Preston Patrick. At the end of 2023. membership of the Area Meeting stOC*Y al 103. ofvthc¥n 37 were men. 65 were women and 1 a child. The Iransfer of Iwo members ￿t of the AM, afKI the death of one member were recorded at Area MeetirI￿ in 2023. The figure for Attenders. in 2023, was 44 in regular attendan￿ and participating in the lrfe of the local aThJ Area Meetirvjs. Of these 9 were children. Local Meetings have c(￿tinUed to offer Meetings for Worship to meet a rarrfJe of individual need for Members. Attenders and visttor5 in person wthin their Meeting Houses and on-line. A monthly zc￿l Meeting has b8en maintained for the ber*fft of Friends urkible to access Meeting for Worship in person. MeetirKJs ts Worship in persm are held every Sunday morning in the four Meeting Houses aThJ. at Preslon Patrick. on Sunday evening once a month. Kendal also holds weekly Meetings for Worship on Friday lunchtimes and Wednesday evenings. An all-age Wo￿lp and Ixeakfast Meeting vms establi5h•J in 2023 to meet the attermdance needs of parents vrith young families in the Area Meeting and this has been hekl in Kendal regularty througth)ut the year. Friends maintair￿j an active pastoraVscK3al and educational events progfdmme in furtherance of Quaker testirnonies and concerns which has attracted Fri￿d$ from across the Kendal and Sedbergh Area Quaker Meeting thrwh(Krt 2023. often ind￿31r￿j M￿berS of the wder communty and other felyN)us groups. Local Meetings have prowded weekty or two weekly updates for Friends M national Quaker aclivities and sludy opp￿tUnIt*S as well as on k)cal events. Some of the areas of actplity in SUPF¥Yt of public benefft irdude the folloyang. Provision of information for the public on Quakerism in wr Meeting Houses and in external displays. Providing an 'open Church. approach for wsitors in two of our Meeting Houses, Brigflatts and Kendal.18rigfiatts is open during the day to visitors seven days a week and Kendal is open to wsitors on fve and a half days a week) This has provided opportunitios for quiet refflect￿n as well as spreading infomation on Quakerism. Working with the Quaker Tapestry Ltd. at Kendal Meeting House. to host school visits Wth wpils. leachets and parents for schools auoss the locality. Welcoming visits from a raffj8 of other churches. as vffjll as Quaker groups from the UK and abroad. along with other organisalions from the wider ¢))mmunity to our historic MeetirKJ Houses. Use of our land to sukyfft a communty garden e.g. growing fo(Ml at 8rigfiatts for donation to the local Fcoj Bank. Promsion of a wam hub al Kendal Meeting House a session a week throughout the winter of 2023 as part of ￿)rk lo address the cosl of living and energy crisis. Working to kyovide Sustainab￿ spaces lo promote wilolrfe in our burial grounds and other spaces, e.g in 8rigfiatts. pasture arNJ woodlarKI and in Sedbwgh Road Burial Ground. Supporting, by annual contritxrtion, Ro)khow Quaker famity weekends which attract parents and thildren who have lrtlle prev￿US eX￿[lonc* of Quakerism as well a5 those wilh established links. In the reporting of the Area MeetsTr3 activrties undertaken in 2023, the Twstees have regard lo the guidance of the Charity C(xnmission on public benefft. Grant-makin9 pollcles Th8 Area Meeting mak85 grants to MernbBrs and AtterKlers of the meetiTrJ. The grants cover four areas. a. To pay the expenses of tha PAeeting appointed reF*esentatives to courses and conferences {paKI on demand). b. To cover the expenses incurred by ￿C8S awointed by Area Meeting induding Tnjstees (paid upon W￿Ju¢t￿￿ of receipts). To Pfowde grants for the education of Fnends arKI Atte￿IerS when atteThling short courses around Quaker themes.. grants are arplied for by individuals to Overseers.. then a grant may be awarded fr(xn the relevant restn'ded lund. d. To issue gfants to Friends and Attenders when they fiThJ that they are in firkincial need (same application Frfrtess as c) 2. Achievements and Pertomiance ong with mainlaining regular Upp￿tUnitIeS for worship throughoui the year, all four Local Meetings continued to further develop systems of support for the pastoral and spiritual care for Members and Attenders through organised aTrJ infonnal groups. Dunrwj 2023, changes took place in the approach to Ihis. These changes were prompted by developments nationally and in Area Meetings ac¥05s the ￿￿nty. Fckning a special Meeting in June 2023 a new mc*Jel vrds agreed and existiThJ ekjers arml overseern 74we appointed at the November Area Meeling to fcxm a group tasked vllh w0￿1r￿j on approaches to providing spiribjal and pastoral suppTht and devekjping the new arrangements in liaison with representatives from Local Meetings. Local Meetings have adopted the use of canng circles. In addtlion, many Fnends provided infomal supwrt to each other. The Area and Local Meetings rnaintained their ￿￿ting$ for Worship for Business supporting the life of the Religious Sooety and. ¥then not in person. on4ine ￿ by"blended- meetings. An active social and educatKKk4 events Fffogramme. in furtheranrx of Quaker lesbmonies and con¢8ms of peace. truth. equalty. justice, aTrJ sustainabilty. has been run throughout 2023. A number of these have centred arwnd issues relating to dimate change and have attracled members across th8 Area Meetir¥J, from oltw churches arKI from Ihe wider community. In 2023 an Area Meeting WKle Sustainatm'lity Gr¢)up has run a m￿thlY outdoor dimate vNJil, held in Ihe fonn of silent worship. in centrnl Kendal. Friends from other Area Quaker Meelings and members of a w¥Je raNJe of other thurches have part¥ipated in this as well as members of the public. Meetings have maintsined well used and extensive liiyaries on Quakerisrn. spiriiual matters and related issues. In 2023 a new Area Meeting website was launct*d sec*1￿9 for the Area and each Local Meeting. We have in(¥eased our (X￿8aCh adivities and enabled the use of our buildings by exi8mal groups so contributing to the life of our k)cal cc*mmunilies. Additi￿. Kendal and Kirkby Stephen Meetings hosted events for the 2023 Interfaith Week. Local Meetings continue to use their monthly sp8cial colleclion processes to include the charities highlighled by the previous work of the Area Meeting w￿e Austerity Group and in response to local need. Caring for our properties The Area Meeting has eleven wor*rti8s, fwr of **)ich are Meeting Houses and seven other propertios. Three Meeting H￿SeS are listed: one grade 1 aThl two grade 2, one of these grade 2.. Kendal Meeting and Kirkby SteFthen Meeb'ng House have been used for room hire for a range of cornfflunty and other groups in 2023: Kendal Meeting House through the A￿a Meeting ￿8$e to the Quaker Tapesty Museum. Preston Patrick also makes spaces available for kical groups. In 2023. 8r￿fjattS L(Kai Meeting prepared part of its accommodation fcf r(MYn rental for k)cal users. Meeting Houses arKI theff associated t￿l￿1ng5 have tRen effectively managed by th8 Area Meeting Properties CLYnmittee arKI Trusiees. The care of all let twrties and two of the Meeling House sites are nlyw managed by an after an arvoFThte vetting and selection process. An extensive exercise was carrted out in 2023 to look at the viabilty of our properties and to involve Friends across the Area Meeting in consK4ering h￿¥ they Can be best used. Area Meeting Trustees and Frients wilhin the Area MeetirwJ are aware of need to achieve a manageable balance bet￿n a small arKI ageThJ number of Friends and the number of properties owned so that Friends can f(￿u$ ￿ the key aims of the charity. Area Meeting agreed in 2023 with the Tn6tees' recomrnendalM)n for the engagement of a Spe￿alist agency to cary out wdluatKms of all tha MeetiNJ buildirys and an exploration of the potential for other uses of some properts'es rf appropriate. Trustees have identified the need to increase the use of professional SUp￿rt to manage property and money as appropriate. In 2023 the Area Meeting made the decision to use the services of a professional LKM)k- keepng o)mpany and to firKI a new conservation architect to assist in the effective planning of care lor our hisioric listed buildings. Towards the end of 2023, Trustees sought and received legal advice on aspects of the KeThdal Meeting House lease renewal. They realised. as part of Ihis, that there were unresolved issues of property transfer from the unincorporated charity KerKlal and Sedbergh Area Meeting lo the incorporated charity which needed to be addressed kx)Ih for Ihe new lease of Kendal Me8ting House lo the Quaker Tapestry and for simpler goveman¢e in the futur8. Work will continue on b(Xh lease and prO[￿ty in 2024. A new S1th8n￿ is being drafted for all our land aThJ property. and the lease and the Scheme together with an appropriale vesting dc¢umenl. will be submitted to the Charity Cornmission when the drafts are ready. Trustees consider that th8 Area Meeling has made approtKi8te tKogress in fulfilling the areas of its responsibilty. Suslaiiiabilily ThTe8 of the Area MeetiTha stles have solar panels. One has a zoned heating system to focus healing use more effiaenlly in a targe Georgian building. Investigatw)n into the use of air source heal pumps is undepway for one propety. Friends are increasing conscious of the carbon burden ol their joumeys to Meeting Houses. notin9 that two are not accessible èasily by public transport. Lo¢al Business Meetings have taken a series of small steps to reduce heal loss in their Meeting Houses but recognise the sustsinabilty challenges which old, often listed, buildings pose. The work of the Area Meeting Sustainability group helps lo keep Friends acro$$ the AM aware of sustainability issues The newly appointed conservation architects will be undertakK)g an extensive supley of the Meeting Houses and other properties in 2024 to idenbfy the polential renewable heating methods possible and suilable. This will support the Area Meeting to make appropriate futu￿ decisons. Safeguarding The Area Meeting fdlows the policy and pradice guKfjelines ouuined by Quakers in Britain. It is a member of the specialist advice agency Thity One: E￿￿. wh￿h is also used for some of the training of Trustees and other Friends as appropriate. There is an Meets'ng Safeguarding Cwdinalor who is also a Trustee and an Assistant Safeguarding Co- ordinalor. L￿al Meetings are required Io Klentify a named FrierKI who is responsible for DBS checks and training to be carried out as needed. 3. Financial Revtrew The Trustees cor6ider the charity's financial pO￿t￿ at the end of 2023 to be stable as outlined in the CC16a accounts reFrf)rt. Ho%4Ever, we recognise that the Area Meeting potenlialty owns more property than it can maintain over the long term and still retain its financial ability to support Quaker work and activities. We have referred to our plans to address this in the 'caring our r*operties' sed#)n of this rep)rL Following recommendation BrTrtain Yearly MeetiThJ. the trustees agreed in December 2009 that 1% of the insured property values shcwkj be added to the BUI￿J1ng ReseNe eath year. This fell below target in 2023. The A￿a Meeting's general rese￿￿ was set by AM at Iwo y*$ routine eXperKJitU￿. No funds are materialty in defiaL The sources of funds are threefobd. 1) Voluntary contributKJn5 fr(m members and attenders 2) Investment income 3) Letting of four pYop8rties (three of these in 2023) The expenditure SUpP￿ts the aims of Ihe d￿rity for indivmluals as detailed under grant making pdicy. The other areas of our exrthliture are to mabnlain the Meeting Houses for religious purposes. The Area Meeting *ishes to invest 6thic81ty and so has the majority of its lunds invested in the Methodist Churth Affinty Equty Fund. Assesslng risks to the charity Consideration of risk assessment Ihe Area Meetiro in 2023 induded awareness and anning lo take account of the ageiThJ membership of the Area Meeting and the decreasing availabilty of those able to seNe in voluntary Toles in managing proF*ty and serving in other key areas of ￿S￿nsIbIlIty. Risk assessments assocAated with our WOpert￿ are repjtsd on regularfy io Trustees through the Area M*ing Prcffjw￿ Comrnitt88. Trusteès consider they have appropriate systems for resFKKKling to risk and seek18gal and other professional advice when required and affwKI practice as appropriate. 4. Structure. Governance and Management Kendal and Sedbergh Area Quaker Meeting is structured and managed in line with its conslitulion and governiTrJ documents. KSAQM became an inc(xporat8d (*arity in December 2021 ICIO). The work of Trustees is defined by the Terrns of Refer￿￿ and Memoranda of Understsnding belween Trustees. Meeting and Local Meets'ngs. Guidance for Quaker Trustees is provided by the Handbook for Twstees of Quaker Meetings published by the Quaker Stewardship Commrtlee120071 and the new handbc*)k for Trustees in production in 2023 by Quakers in Brilain. Truslees are appointed by Area Meeting in Business Meeting through Ihe Nominations Committee prc¢ess. Uwn appointmenl. Trustees are provided with past minules. other relevant d￿ufflents and a briefing by the c￿Tk to Truslees. Training for new and prospective Trustees is hdd frcwn to b'me as provKled by Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre. On going supp)rt and updates are pyovided natiO￿llY by Quaker Lif8 through the Clerks of Trustees Liaison Group and related events. Meetings for church affairs in which Ihe RelyM)us &Kiety of Friends c￿￿￿ctS its business, are meetings fcff worship based on slence. carying the eXped*h￿ that the way forward can be discerned rf mentsrs are truty listening knjether and to e￿h other in a spirit of trusL The unity that is sought depends on the willingness of al to seek the truth in each otherfs utterances. The￿ is no vots.ng because Fnends believe that this can emphasise divisions and inhibits the process of seeking a way for¥Yard lo which all can unite which is th8n expressed as the sense of the meetw. The Clerk of thè meeting bears the final respcmwbdty for tryariNJ the bus￿￿ and conducting the meeting. Minutes are drafted by the Clerk during the meeting and then offefed to the meeting for acceptance. amendment or repdvjn. The final decision about whether each minute rrfKesents the sense of the meeting is the responsibility of the meeting of Trustees not just the Clerk. Minutes are therefore generally approved duriThJ the meeting in whld) they are drafted. Kendal & Sedb8rgh Arna Quaker Meeting Trustees meat at such frequency. times ar)d places as the Meeting itself directs. The Clerk may arrange for a speLa81 meeting to b8 held, if necessary, in order to maintain active and timely g￿ernanCe. Prop8rties matters are managed by th8 Area Meetir#J Prowtks C(Mnmittee rew1ing directly to Trustee5. The minutes of Trustees Meetings and on-going advice and response to Area Meèting are provided at each of the Area 8usiness Kleelirys which are held six times a year. 11 is the résponsibility ol the Area MeetiThJ to appoint an lfKlepW￿enI exarniner of the Area Meeting 8C(x)unts each year. The sessions of Area Meeting fN Business are open to all members of the Area Meeting. The business and activities of Ihe Area Meeting are at all times conducted in accordance with th8 proviswjns of the current edrtion of availab￿ al w.quaker.org.uk. Kendal & Sedbergh Quaker Meeting Incl￿ all U)nsti￿ent Local Kl88tirvJs contained within its area.. Brigflatts, Kendal. Kirkby Stephen and Preston pat￿k. Arrangements for the establishment. running ￿ d￿olution of u)nstituent meetings sha# be in atr￿n¢8 wllh Quaker Failh and Practice. The Area Meeling is the level al wfiich membership is held. but responsitm'lity for the proper stewardship of funds and ovepliew of LMJsin8ss wilhin Area MeetirwJ lies wilh Iho Trusteos on behalf of Ihe Area Meeting. Area Meetlng appolnted roles and Commlttees reportlng to Area Meetlng In 2023 Friends are nominated arKI app(xnted by Area Meeling Busrnss Meeting to these roles. Area Meeting Cterk and two kntstant Clerks Area Meeting Trustees Area Meetir@ Treasurer Assistant Treasurer Properties Committee a￿1 Clerk lo Properties Committee Registering Officer "Overseers (pastoral care) 'Elders15piriiual care aThJ grovAh) Safeguarding Cwdinator and De[￿ Cwdinator Collector Children afMI Young Pe￿e'S C(xresr￿enL Burial Ground and Funerdl Cothinating arrarwJements for the 4 Iccal meetings Cuslodian of Records Representatives to the BYM Meeting for suff￿?[ Representaltves to Quaker Life Councal Area Meeting Nominations Con￿Ittee Kendal Joint Working Group (with th8 Quaker Tapesty) (ln 2023 chang8s naknrkglly arml in the Area Meeting infiuenced the organisation of the of eldef5 ar¥J overseers") See pastoral and spiritual cwe ¢JJmments in the Achi8v8ments and Perfomianc* section. Relationship with relalLJcl partic's The Area Meeting is part of Britain Yearfy Meeting of the Re1￿lOuS kniety of Friends. The m88ling has a Iwcpway relationship with the central departments and of the Yearly Meeling. A larye part of thts ￿lati(￿shiP is fomed by those FrierKls who serve as representatives to the central committees and cwncils. one of the rnain links in 2023 being the reports from our representatives to Meeting f(Y Sufferings (Meeting f£￿ Sufferings is the standing representalive bjdy entrusted with tho caro of the business of Briiain Yearly Meeting throughout the year}- The Area Meeting properties are all hekl by Friends Twsts Ltd as custodian trustee", Area Meeting Trustees manage and operate the buildings on behalf of Area Meeting as Ihe beneficial ownws. 5. Referènce and Administratlve details Charity name Kendal and Sedbergh Area Quaker Meetin9 Registered charity number 1197234 Chanly's principal address Friends Meeting House Stramongate Kendal Cumbria LA9 4BH Namog of the trii%tees of the cbarfty diiring 2023 Name of person (or body) enlltled to appolnt trustee rfan Area Business Meeting Tru5tO0 name Office (If any) Dates actsd rf not for whole year Andrew Smith T￿aSurer From Jan 2023 to mid- December 2023. Caroline Stow As above As above David BraybroN)k Jennrfer Pearman c￿rk As above Julia Smith (Clerk of Properties Commtttee) As above Davrd Petrie As above Trustees at the timè of this report Jennrfer Peamian Caroline Stow Julia Smith Area Business Meeting Ckrk As above 10 Assistant Treasurer {Clerk of Properties Commrttee) As above As above 11 12 13 Mary Robinson Paul Scutt AS above As above Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity Trustso nama Datss acted rf not for whole Frlends Trust Ltd Names and addresses of advisers Typo of advlser Sollcltorn Nam• Address Milne Moser 100, Hwhgale. Kendal LA9 4HE 10, Queens Street Pla￿, London EC4R 18E Bates Well8 Da¢larallon8 Slgnature($) Signed Signed Full namo1$) Posltion l•g Sacrntary, Chalr, otc) Date Jennrfer Peamian Caroline Stow Clerk to Trustees Trustee 03108r24 04108r24