Wesley Place Methodist Church, Alsager Registered Charity No:1142234
TRUSTEES` ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st AUGUST 2024
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Wesley Place Methodist Church is based in Alsager, Cheshire. Opened in 1869 Wesley Place celebrated its 150[th] Anniversary in 2019. The Church was built to provide for a growing population in Alsager made popular by the advent of the railway and to supplement the original one room Methodist Chapel in Hassall Road Alsager built in 1834 and extended in 1852. As the congregation grew in 1969 Wesley Place added a modern extension building to accommodate its growing Sunday School.
Wesley Place Methodist Church Alsager is part of Cheshire South Methodist Circuit.
Varying styles of Sunday Worship are offered from traditional to shorter reflective devotion in addition to a brunch, messy church, and an opportunity to learn new hymns and songs. On Wednesday Morning we meet in fellowship and share Holy Communion.
The Church Hall and additional buildings are used extensively for our own mission activities and by others or hired out for a wide range of community purposes throughout the week.
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Managing Trustees 2023/24:
Isabel Brislen Carol Challinor David Michael Crompton Celia Mary Crompton Harriet Emily Weatherby Crompton Alicia Rose Weatherby Crompton Catherine Bowen-Fanstone Rev Robert Hilton Margaret Keeling Daniel Mark Keen
Andrew Dale Shaw Sarah Simpkin Valerie Snowden Alison Jane Steele Andrew Tyrell Natasha Walker
Janet Keen Dorothy Ann Milner Sandra Fawley Moors Peter Morris
Christianne Morris
Lesly Elizabeth Peake
Gwynneth Proudlove
Sandra Laura Rawlinson
Helen Robertson OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The Church has continued with its mission objectives focused upon community outreach successfully building and expanding its activities including: -
Dinner Hub
Youth Club Activities
The Ark
Hope Journey
Action for Children Saturday Coffee
Monday Games
Wednesday Morning Service
Christmas Tree Festival
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FINANCIAL REVIEW
FINANCIAL REPORT
The method of accounting used is that of Receipts and Payments and the Methodist Standard Form of Accounts, which is attached to this report, summarises the Receipts and Payments for the year ending 31 August 2024.
The Church finances and congregation were depleted because of the pandemic lockdowns and restrictions between January 2020 and July 2021. Since the end of the Pandemic the congregation has started to return and new mission initiatives commenced. Although the Church remains financially challenged the congregation is currently stable as is the revenue stream.
Our largest outgoing was the Circuit Assessment which amounted to £55,745 , much higher than in the previous year when we had benefitted from a 25% discount provided by the Circuit to its churches to assist them in their recovery from the impact of the Covid pandemic.
Total Church receipts amounted to £88,368 and Payments came to £95,480 resulting in a deficit of £7,112.
Our offerings and Tax recovered in the year totaled £47,009, a little down on the previous year but the room lettings increased to £7,820.
Fundraising receipts from our Christmas Tree Festival in November 2023 amounted to £5,500, a little higher than in 2022.
Our Church members and volunteers continue to put considerable effort into fundraising events and seeking grant support to secure the finances required to support mission outreach.
RESERVES
A Reserves Policy has been prepared. On 31 August 2024, the General Fund held £6,336 and our restricted funds a sum of £50,098 reserved for a building refurbishment project.
A draft Budget for 2024/25 has been prepared with expenditure forecast at £79,904, and income payments at £83,770, so exceeding payments .
We have been unable to rebuild our reserves where we aim to hold up to 50% of our annual expenditure.
THE FUTURE
Last year we were conscious that without the Circuit Assessment discount our small surplus for 2022/2023 would have been wiped out. We expected a particularly challenging 2023/2024 year financially, when the Circuit Assessment returned to its normal level, and as forecast a year end deficit was realised.
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Anticipating then the heightened risk of running out of funds in 2024/2025 we have negotiated a 10-year interest free loan of £17,420 from Cheshire South Circuit , representing the first four monthly Circuit Assessments commencing 1 September 2024. The capital is repayable over 10 years by annual instalments of £1,742 commencing September 2025.
This loan will relieve the pressure on our finances whilst we continue our mission in the community and look to grow both our Church congregation and income..
DECLARATIONS
The trustees declare that they have approved of the trustees' report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees:
Signature
Full Name
Position
Date
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CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Wesley Place Methodist Church.Alsager Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2024 Cheshire South Circuit Circuit no. 11118 Registered Charity - Charity Registration number If not a registered charity His Majesty's Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number {The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charity number in terms of evidence of charitable status and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see eviden of the organisation's charitable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered charities are expted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242} 1200390 Minister.. Rev d Rob Hilton Church Stewards.. Alicia Crompton - Senior Steward Harriet Crompton Catherine Bowen- Fanstone Natasha Walker Andrew Shaw Sarah Simpkin Treasurer.. David Crompton Wesley Place Methodist ChurchAJ Alsager SFA 2023 -2024 1of5
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024 Wesley Place Methodist Church,Alsager Church Unrestrictsd Restricted Funds Funds Totals thls yaar Totals last yèar SECTION A a1 RECEIPTS Note a2 Offerings and Tax recovered Bank and CFB interest and Investment income 47.009 47,009 51,110 a3 123 2,533 2,656 7.820 1,689 7,355 12,573 72.727 a4 Lettings Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 7,820 28,683 83,636 a5 2,200 4,733 30.883 88.368 (a7) SECTION 8 b1 PAYMENTS b2 Circuit Assessment or Share 55.746 428 55.746 42,333 b3 Donations 428 1,772 4.492 Repairs and Maintenance Ulililies (Insuran9, water charges, healing & lighting} Other Regular Running Costs Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 5,649 5.649 b5 19,223 10,978 19.223 14.434 11.089 3,456 3,545 5,873 69.104 b7 b8 92,024 3,456 95.480 Ib91 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 {a6-b81 {8,3881 1,277 (7,1111 3,623 Total funds brought forward from last year 63,546 59,924 Sub total {c1+c21 18.388} 1,277 56,434 63.546 Transfers and adjustments {c71 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR le3+c4) 18,3881 1,277 56.434 Ic81 63,546 {c61 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EKfERNAL ORGANISATIONS {theso amounts arg not to be included in totsl receiptslpayments figures above) d1 Balance brought forward from last year 160} d2 OfferingslGffts- received for external organisations 524 d3 OfferingslGifts - passed to extemal organisations 524 d4 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID {d1+d2-d31 160} 2of5 We5 Place m&hl$te.hllrCh.J AIs48¥r SPA 2023-2024
We$Y Pla Methodk%t Churd).NJ8ager Chwrh SUMMARYOF CH RCH IN THE CHURCH COUNCIL SECTION E Pleaspfollowthg Guidance Notestocom Summary ol the Church arLountsftyihe yearenoed 31 Awusi 20Z4 and irfemal Organisat5 reFthin91o ChUh COutriVChu MeeiiNJ Ne th81 thefunds of an Inirnal OrganL43bon véouid normally be ReslriGted fund5 tJ591tC0Uk$ be cjearfy that eY ¢ovld be uaed lor any MelAls1 purpDse This seGtioD rnusl be Tnple lo attivè aitrÈgrossincome aTKSexpwditurelolaI5 of theChur(i. If gr05S KDrne exOlA¢¢aL% thresydd. then e Accrua15 Thetmdof accounbng ANDA D1FFERENT FORM musi be useo 10 p)rtIhe thnI$ (see Meihothsi Aease referkn the gUIdanr notes reoarding insIerS beiween Disirict and (thne¢ted DistrktOrganisatK)ns INTERNAL ORGANISATIONS Nel Rece Payments Owing balances Paymep)ts Adjustmts clo bale8 e5 e7 OrganlK)nS fufids ChUh accounts It4Jt¥l$ broryht Iorwsrd fr)m page 2-totals column) 88,368 95.480 {b9} Ic71 56.434 {£8) 8YCHiIRCH 88,368 95A80 IY.1111 Conbnue on a sewarateshOSt rf rwessary and brin9 the totsi¥f(wrd TOTAL RECEIPTS TofAL PAYMENTS SECMOM F TATEMENT OF ASSETSAND LIABILITI OPENING BALANCES CLIYJING BALANCES CHURCH- CASH FVNDS HELDat 31 Au ust2024 Ca3h in 14.006 5.311 8ank CLWTentActs)unt 1.025 8ank Dew41A¢(J>Jnl f4 Cenbal Firbsn Board InvestmentACnt 48.638 50.098 TNsleesforMetl¥)thsl Churth Purm$ 0lher1uts CFB PrQio¢tAwnt SUB TOTAL-Church actounls 63,546 $6h34 Ic61 Total funds Thej Oy Iniwnal organa10r Ilhec105i baLntotal from abovti ie121 18121 TOTALCASH FUNDS HELD BYCHURCH 63,546 $6.434 SECTION G At Al 1 Septsmber2023 31 AU312024 OTHER ASSETS and L81Es In¥eslmenis (include EtKknWfflts1 Land & (see ro 4,188.3SY 4,17e,192 tJhBrM$e Loanlsl- shal)Unt wlSWdiNJ St9r¥ (Xher Lialie5 14 ITh¢ only Funds held allhe Central Fillan 8oaNI 15 IDdu¢konly Fundshekl at Trustee5 formethodisl Chuich Putkw)5es 01 Indudts any Olher yeS {fiotlhe Lash de[n10fTMCPl[u5ts a(nts i1H5 56 in lir IS W£ryP1K<mhOdcbwj AW SFA2023.2024 3of5
Name of Church . Wesley Place Methodist Church,Alsager Declarations and Scrutiny I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2024 have been prepared from the records of the Church and Ihal they include all funds under the control of the Church trustees. Signature of treasurer . Name and address of treasurer ..... David Crompton Parkholme.23 Station Road,Alsager ST7 2PJ Presentation to the Church trustees I confimi that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 werelwilke" presented to the meeting of the Church trustees held on Signature of the Chair of the meeting Name of the Chair of the meeting Ro 6rtT H( LTDtrJ . Date..... i( Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Wesley Place Methodist Church, Al$ag•r Charity Number 1200390 Responslbililies and basis of report I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the htÈwY.. iz f l A G t4I Church for the year ended 31 August 2024 set out on pages l. to .5 As the Church's Iruslees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 201 t {'the Act,). I report in respect of my examination of the Church's 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 14515llb} of the Act. delete or circle as appropriate VVe81gy Ha¢* Kle1dtCjKhJ SFA 2023.2024 4of5
Name of Church .Wesley Place Methodist Church , Alsager Independent Examinerfs Statement I have completed my examination. I confinn 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= the accounting records were not kept in accordan with 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 havelhave not" obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balanS 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 . Roger Pask Relevant professional qualrfication of independent examiner Company Director (Retired) Name of firm (where appropriate) Address 36 Wesley Road.Alsager Post Code ST7 2NG Date delete or circle as appropriate Wesley Place Methodist ChurchAJ Alsager SFA 2023 -2024 5of5
RESERVES POLICY of Wesle Place Methodist Church, Alsa ("Church Councilrfcircuit MeetingEIIDistrictD) er General Funds held at YIE 3110812024 £6,336 Restricted Funds held at YIE 3110812024 £50,098 Endowment Funds held at YE 3110812024 £0 Reserves policy for General Funds The General Funds are held in our Natwest and CFB bank accounts. These monies are required to fvnd the running of our Scciety so enabling our mission work. Our Policy in ordinary lime is to keep a minimum reserve fund equivalent to three months, or 25% of our annual expendrture. We are currently experiencing severe finanal challenges so have exhausted our reserve funds to maintain our local mission. We are cUrntlY working through a missionl sustainability plan, wrth Circuit support, so will reinstate our reserves in accordance with our Policy as soon as we are able. 5. Polic for Restricted Funds The restricted funds are held in a separate CFB bank account. Such funds were donated for specific purposes, an example of which is a current mission based building proieel, and they must be used for those purposes only. The balance needed for these funds ss dictated by the specific purpose for which the funds were donated. Temis relatin to Endowment Funds held We do not hold any Endowment Funds, so this is not applicab lo us. This Reserves Policy has been approved by ('Church CouncilOlCircuit Meeting[]istriCt Treasurer Trustee Full name Full Name David Crompton 06Err HlbTDtrJ Signature Signature