## **Report of the Octagon, Martineau Hall and Hapton Trustees to AGM 2025**
Trustees: David Carter, Bruce Chilton, Mary Rae and Rod Voegeli. The British and Foreign Unitarian Association is the Octagon Chapel’s residual trustee.
A Quota payment was made to the General Assembly HQ for 56 members. This places us amongst the biggest Unitarian communities in the country. During 2024 the average attendance at the Sunday Service was 29 persons.
The Trustees agree that our services are interesting and enjoyable which, we believe, is due to the variety of services and service leaders and our organists are brilliant! On the first Sunday in the month the service is available on zoom and every Friday the chapel has been open to the public from 10am until noon. We keep in touch with our members in Galicia and Crete and enjoy their articles in our monthly and very informative Newsletter. Nine members attended the General Assembly Annual Meeting. A thanksgiving service was held at Green Acres, Colney for Elizabeth Cubby, a member of the chapel who died on 1st May 2024.
At the last AGM in 2024 the Trustees were asked to request a meeting with Simon Bland, the Congregational Support Officer at Unitarian HQ to explore appropriate governance for our needs. A meeting took place in Suffolk together with representatives from our neighbouring congregations and various matters were discussed. The agenda did not specifically concentrate on our governance issues so it has been decided that we invite Simon to a meeting at the Octagon to deal with our specific needs.
The chapel committee met 8 times during the year. They are responsible for the day-to-day running of the chapel and Martineau Hall. A Passover Seder meal; the Heritage Open Days; a Memorial Service; a Festive Event; Norwich Peace Camp; Pride Month; The East Anglian Womens Group; a members’ Questionaire; Remembrance Day; a Candlelight Carol Service and a service of memorial for the recently dead were some of the matters and events encouraged by them.
We have been fortunate in obtaining the services of Vikki Nelson, our new Admin and Booking Officer as in February we said a fond farewell to Rosie Rogers, our former person in that role who said at her departure that _she felt lucky and privileged to have worked for such a lovely organisation as the Octagon Unitarian Chapel._
The Sunday Meditation continues to draw interest and the Social Responsibility which cares for pastoral care, safe-guarding and outreach including the WelcomeRucksack Project; New Routes; St Martins and the Food Bank have become firmly established. The Congregational Bring and Share lunch and Café Curious have become well-attended monthly events. There were 3 weddings and 2 memorial services during the year. The Octagon Concert Series celebrated its 40[th] Anniversary. The lettings of the Martineau Hall and the Chapel have strongly supported the Chapel’s finances over the year. Both buildings have been maintained to a good standard during the year.
Finally, the Trustees urge you to read the reports associated to fully understand and appreciate the hard work that is carried out by individuals on your behalf in order to keep the Octagon Chapel moving forward. The Trustees extend a hearty thank-you to all of them.
**Octagon Unitarian Chapel & Martineau Hall Receipts and payments Period: 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024**
**From 01 January 2024 01 January 2023 To 31 December 2024 31 December 2023**
## **M-Hall - Martineau Hall (Designated) Fund Incoming resources and Resources used**
## **Receipts**
|**Receipts**||
|---|---|
|Incoming resources from generated funds
_Voluntary income_
Membership & subscriptions
Donations
_Total Voluntary income_
_Activities for generating funds_
Hire of Chapel
_Total Activities for generating funds_
Other incoming resources
Misc income inc bookstall
Martineau Hall lettings
Martineau Hall rent (NORCA)
_Total Other incoming resources_
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
Governance costs
Admin, consumables, licenses
Insurance less NORCA share
Memberships, Legal & Professional fees
Payroll & Pensions
_Total Governance costs_
Other resources used
Water (less NORCA share)
Cleaning
Payments to be reimbursed
Electricity
Equipment (purchase, repair & maint)
Building Maintenance & Repair
Organist
Telephone & Broadband
_Total Other resources used_
**Total payments**
Excess of Incoming resources over Resources used
Brought forward balance
**Total carried forward balance**|214
464
—
4|
||_214_
_469_
—
217|
||_—_
_217_
195
—
12,575
13,670
18,750
12,500|
||_31,520_
_26,170_|
||**31,734**
**26,856**
25
—
2,832
254
—
600
2,487
—|
||_5,345_
_854_
189
197
1,645
1,652
41
—
1,670
1,568
215
31
468
877
—
50
238
302|
||_4,469_
_4,678_|
||**9,814**
**5,533**|
||21,919
21,323
80,652
59,329|
||**102,572**
**80,652**|
_**There may be minor discrepancies in the totals if the pence are not being shown**_
10 March 2025 Page 1
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