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2025-12-31-accounts

DISCOVERING QUAKERS

Charity Registration No. 1206818

DISCOVERING QUAKERS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

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DISCOVERING QUAKERS

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees F M Lunnon G Gill A Heslop Charity number 1206818 Principal address 22 Matfen Court Sedgefield Stockton on Tees TS21 2JB Independent Examiner Graham Waterhouse Cambridgeshire Area Meeting Bankers CAF Bank

Bankers

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CONTENTS

Page
Trustees’ report 4-9
Independent examiner’s report 10
Receipts and payments account 11
Statement of assets and liabilities 12

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DISCOVERING QUAKERS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

Introduction and Summary

2025 has been a year of consolidation, growth and increasing collaboration for Discovering Quakers. Building on our establishment as a registered charity in February 2024, we have continued to develop our structures, partnerships and outreach activities in support of our charitable purpose: advancing the Quaker faith and principles through digital communication, events, publications and connections with local Quaker Meetings.

During the year, we strengthened our organisational foundations through improved governance, clearer structures, and an increased focus on fundraising and long-term sustainability. We also benefited from the work of an expanding team of volunteers, contributors and freelance specialists supporting communications, digital outreach and events.

A particularly significant development in 2025 was the growth of partnership working across the Quaker community. New “Outreach Partners” meetings brought together Discovering Quakers, Britain Yearly Meeting, FWCC, Woodbrooke, Young Friends General Meeting, Quaker Rainbow and others in a spirit of increasing cooperation and shared learning. The Yorkshire Families Campaign demonstrated the potential of regional outreach initiatives working alongside Local Development Workers, providing valuable learning for future projects.

Public outreach continued to expand through social media, newsletters, podcasts, websites, advertising and live online events. Our social media following grew steadily across all major platforms. The audience for our fortnightly enquirers’ newsletter grew, with almost 4,000 new subscribers during the year. This was primarily generated by our Meta advertising campaigns which reached approximately 226,000 people.

Tuesday evening “Quaker Lives” sessions remained at the heart of our engagement work, providing a regular and welcoming introduction to Quakerism for both newcomers and experienced Friends. Attendance remained consistently strong, typically attracting between 25 and 40 participants each week. At the same time, we continue to reflect on how best to support enquirers in moving from online engagement into participation in local Quaker Meetings.

DQ Connect, our enquirers’ service linking people with local Meetings, continued to grow steadily, with 315 Meetings now participating and 246 individuals requesting introductions during 2025. Work also began on a significantly enhanced second version of the system, in partnership with Quaker Meetings Network, due for launch in 2026.

Alongside outreach to the wider public, we continued to support Quaker Meetings directly through newsletters, resources, the monthly Local Outreach Forum, and opportunities for shared learning.

Financially, the charity is supported by donations from Meetings and individuals, grants from trusts, earned income and book sales. We are particularly grateful for the support received from funders during the year. Continued fundraising will remain important to support future growth and sustainability.

Looking ahead to 2026, our priorities include deepening partnerships across Quaker organisations, developing regional outreach models, implementing a new outreach campaign, launching the upgraded DQ Connect system, strengthening pathways into Meetings, and expanding fundraising to support the long-term future of Discovering Quakers.

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Structure, Governance and Management

Structure and charitable purpose

The charity was established under its constitution on 1 February 2024 and registered with the Charity Commission on that date.

Its objects are “the advancement of the Quaker faith and principles for the public benefit, in particular but not exclusively by raising awareness and access to Quaker literature, events and Meetings through a website, podcasts and other means of digital communication.”

(Please note that, throughout this report, the word ‘Meeting’ is used in its Quaker sense: an established group of Quakers in a particular location.)

Trustees and governance

The charity and its property are managed and administered by a board of trustees.

The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of signing the accounts were:

The constitution provides for between three and fifteen trustees. Trustees are appointed in accordance with the constitution, and recruitment is periodically reviewed by trustees and members. This review takes account of the skills and experience needed, alongside a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied that appropriate systems are in place to mitigate these risks. They have also paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission when determining the charity’s activities.

Team

The work of Discovering Quakers depends on a committed and growing team of staff, volunteers, and contributors, including Quaker Lives speakers, facilitators, and those supporting events and communications.

During 2025, we also benefited from three freelance team members who provided communications support, social media and website content, and digital marketing advice. Their contribution strengthened both the quality and reach of our communications.

Members

As a membership organisation, Discovering Quakers welcomes individuals and Meetings to join and support its charitable purpose. Membership is open and can be completed via an online form.

Members’ meetings continue to play an important role in sustaining the life of the organisation, offering opportunities for reflection, discernment, and shared learning.

The Annual General Meeting was held, as part of a wider AGM Day, in July 2025, both in person and online. It provided an opportunity to review the year’s work, celebrate progress, and consider priorities for the future.

Organisational development and strategy

During 2025, Discovering Quakers continued to strengthen its organisational structures and governance to support a growing and increasingly complex programme of work. This included clarifying roles, strengthening oversight, and ensuring readiness for future development.

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There has been an increased focus on fundraising, reflecting both the opportunities and responsibilities associated with growth. Alongside continued support from Meetings and individual Friends, we have developed relationships with trusts and explored new funding opportunities. This remains a priority for sustainability.

Partnership working has been a major area of development during the year. Relationships with Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) and other Quaker organisations have deepened, alongside increasing collaboration with Local Development Workers (LDWs).

Outreach Partnership Meetings

In May 2025, during Yearly Meeting, an exploratory meeting took place between members of the Discovering Quakers team, colleagues from BYM (including Quaker Life and Communications), and a Woodbrooke staff member. This led to the establishment of regular “Outreach Partnership” meetings.

The first formal meeting was held in July 2025 with participation expanding to include FWCC. Early meetings focused on sharing information about current work and future plans. By September, discussions had begun to explore more practical collaboration, including data-sharing and cross-promotion of initiatives.

The success of the Families Project in the Yorkshire digital outreach initiative provided a strong example of effective collaboration between Discovering Quakers and BYM’s Local Development Workers at a regional level.

From November, participation expanded further to include Young Friends General Meeting and Quaker Rainbow, with increasing awareness of work in Wales (Crynwyr Cymru). These developments reflect a growing sense of coordinated outreach across the Quaker community.

Plans are in place for a full-day, in-person meeting of outreach partners in 2026.

Outreach to the Public

Social media, website and digital presence

Our social media presence grew steadily during 2025, reaching:

Content addressing common questions about Quaker belief and practice generated the highest engagement.

Both the enquirers’ website and the Meetings’ website were regularly updated with blog content and resources. During the year, both sites were redesigned using new brand colours and fonts, establishing a clearer Discovering Quakers identity distinct from Quakers in Britain.

Website traffic in 2025 remained similar to that seen in 2024 with 3500 – 4500 monthly unique visits

Email newsletter

In 2025, we published a fortnightly newsletter for enquirers, attracting over 4460 new subscribers. The newsletter shares resources, promotes events, and explores common questions about Quakerism.

Question-led content generated the highest engagement, including topics such as:

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Advertising

Advertising on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) reached approximately 226,000 people, generating 532,000 impressions.

With a total spend of £4,945:

Podcasts

During 2025, we began production of the Quaker Activism podcast. The first episode, released in November, featured Lindsey Fielder Cook (Quaker United Nations Office), exploring the relationship between Quaker faith and environmental activism. Further episodes are planned.

Publishing

Publishing activity continued during 2025, including books and printed materials supporting outreach and enquiry. Income from publications provides a small but meaningful contribution to overall funding.

Live events

Tuesday “Quaker Lives” sessions remain the core live offering, running weekly since January 2023 and attracting 25–40 participants per session. Typically, around six participants attend for the first time, while 25 or more are returning attendees.

Sessions follow a consistent format:

Sessions run on a six-week rota, with regular hosts including Geoffrey Durham, Margot Lunnon, and Helen Drewery. Each session also relies on a guest speaker and a technical host.

Once every six weeks, a session without a speaker allows for more extended discussion.

While some participants go on to attend local Quaker Meetings, this pathway is not yet consistent. Many enquirers express hesitation about attending in person, indicating a need for clearer and more supportive transitions into Meetings.

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Enquirers’ service (DQ Connect)

Following its launch in 2024, DQ Connect continued to grow:

The service has operated reliably and provides an important bridge between enquirers and local Meetings.

During 2025, work began with Quaker Meetings Network (QMN) to develop an improved second version. Design and requirements were completed in Q3, with delivery expected in Q2 2026.

The upgraded system will:

Supporting Quaker Meetings

Local Outreach Forum

A monthly Local Outreach Forum was held throughout 2025 via Zoom, typically attracting around 20 participants. It provides a space to share updates, ask questions, and strengthen connections between Meetings and Discovering Quakers.

Resources and communications

A range of resources and a dedicated newsletter continued to support Meetings in their outreach work.

Learning from regional work

Yorkshire Families Campaign

In collaboration with Yorkshire Quakers, a Families Campaign was delivered during 2025.

A key learning was that SMS is the most effective follow-up method, preferred over phone and email.

A similar campaign is planned with Liverpool Quakers to refine a model for wider rollout, particularly in partnership with Local Development Workers.

Finance

Financial position and funding

In 2025 we operated a deficit of just under £7,000. Our income was around £26,000 but our spending totalled around £33,000. We were able to overspend in this way because we started the year in a healthy position with around £25,000 in the bank.

Discovering Quakers continues to receive income from donations by Meetings and individuals, grants from charitable trusts, earned fees, and book sales. We are very grateful for this support.

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During 2025, we received donations of £9,000 (34% of our income) from 47 Quaker Meetings. As there are 455 Quaker Meetings in Britain we see that a key part of our future work is to strengthen our relationships with these Meetings. The £2,000 donated by individual Friends is cheering and comforting.

In 2025, we secured grant funding to support both specific projects and core work. We are thankful for grants totalling £3,700 from Oakdale Trust, Yew Tree Fund and William A Cadbury Charitable Trust. In addition, we received a further contribution of £2,800 from the Quaker Quest Network (a Quaker outreach initiative that ran for 20 years before closing down in 2024.)

We are grateful to Britain Yearly Meeting for a grant of £10,000 awarded in 2025 to support our initiative during 2026.

During 2025 we published Geoffrey Durham’s Being a Quaker (revised 3rd edition). The production cost £3,600 but these costs occurred in 2024 and were covered by a grant from the Yew Tree Fund, and the sales brought in £4,000 in 2025.

Our biggest costs are the £22,500 spent on our hard-working freelance contractors, followed by the £3,500 we spent on advertising on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. We are mindful that in using digital advertising we reach, with a light touch, tens of thousands of people. This remains the main way that we add to our email newsletter recipients list (standing at about 8,000 at the end of 2025) and offer opportunities to engage in our other activities, such as the weekly Quaker Lives sessions. We also have software service costs (£3,500) for information management and integration.

At the end of 2025, our bank balance stood at £17,695. While this is a relatively healthy position, continued fundraising remains essential.

Reserves

It is the charity’s policy to maintain unrestricted reserves equivalent to six to nine months’ expenditure. This ensures continuity in the event of a significant drop in income while allowing time to secure additional funding.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Priorities include:

On behalf of the board of trustees

Trustee – F M Lunnon Dated 08 JULY 2026

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF DISCOVERING QUAKERS

I report on the accounts of the charity for the period ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 11-12.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not require for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

Graham Waterhouse

122 Silver Street Burwell Cambridge CB25 0EF

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RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

New receipts detail
"Inheritance" from
Quaker Quest and
Quaker Quest Network
Grants from trusts
Donations from
Individuals
Donations from
Meetings
Bank interest
Fees earned (Yorkshire
Campaign)
Book sales
NB We have GA still to
claim of the order of
Payments detail*
Contractors
Purchases of software
etc
Book production costs
Advertising, inc £1200
for Yorkshire Campaign
Bank charges
VAT
Printing handouts
Room hire for AGM		 Unrestricted £
Restricted £
Total £
2024 £
2,688.26
-
2,688.26
16,865.00
3,720.00
2,800.00
6,520.00
4,500.00
2,068.52
-
2,068.52
11,226.65
8,894.52
-
8,894.52
7,573.50
42.40
-
42.40
15.29
2,000.00
-
2,000.00
4,014.96
-
4,014.96
700.00
23,428.66
2,800.00
26,228.66
40,880.44
2,800.00
22,440.12
22,440.12
10,947.16
3,503.31
-
3,503.31
138.60
-
-
-
3,608.28
5,242.84
-
5,242.84
1,491.57
60.00
-
60.00
35.00
1,650.00
-
1,650.00
208.29
-
208.29
88.00
-
88.00
33,192.56
0
33,192.56
16,220.61

*The only restricted grant was for enhancing the automated link between enquirers and Meetings; it has not yet been spent

**This was the 3rd edition of Being a Quaker by Geoffrey Durham

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DISCOVERING QUAKERS

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025

Assets as at 31 Dec 2025
Unrestricted £
Restricted £
CAF Bank
14,895.93
2,800.00
Creditors
0
Britain Year Meeting
invoices for books
Quaker Quest
Network fnal
transfer approx
Liabilities
0
Net assets
Change in assets
over the year
Receipts
Payments
Net movement of
funds
Unrestricted £
Fixed Assets
Cash Funds*
Current account
14,895.93
Total cash funds
14,895.93
Stock
Other monetary assets
Debtors
Creditors		 Total £
17,695.93
0
17,695.93
6,963.90
26,228.66
33,192.56
6,963.90
Restricted £
2,800.00
2,800.00		 2024 £
24,659.83
1,200.00
1,500.00
27,359.83
0
27,359.83
0.00
0.00
-
Total £
17,695.93
17,695.93
0
0
0
0

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The accounts were approved by the trustees on the 8 July 2026

Trustee – F M Lunnon

Trustee – G Gill

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

1. Trustees

None of the trustees (or persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the period.

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