## **MOTHERS’ UNION – GLOUCESTER DIOCESE** Registered charity number 249912
## ’ TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT –YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024
## **Legal and Administrative information**
The charity “Mothers’ Union Gloucester Diocese” is constituted by Deed of Trust and is registered charity number 249912.
It works closely and directly with its parent charity, Mothers’ Union, which is a worldwide organisation established by Royal Charter and based at Mary Sumner House, London. SW1P 3RB
Mothers’ Union Gloucester Diocese - correspondence address is: Mothers’ Union Office, 7a, Millers Green, Gloucester GL1 2BN. Tel: 01452 528621. Email: info@mugloucester.org.uk
The Patron is the Lord Bishop of Gloucester.
## **The Board of Trustees**
In 2023 the Board of Trustees, elected by Diocesan Council in October 2021, was as follows:
Mrs Doreen McLellan - Diocesan President Mrs Olga Gibbons - Diocesan Vice-President Mrs Kate Thompson - Diocesan Vice-President – Died in office in 2023 Canon (Mrs) Margaret Edwards - Responsible for Governance and Finance Mrs Pauline Farman - Responsible for Social Policy Mrs Ruth Creighton - Responsible for MUenterprises Mrs Rebecca Phillips - Responsible for Development Mrs Brenda Davitt Mrs Kay Hensley - Responsible for Faith Mrs Daphne Ellis
Mrs K. Cottey – Hon Treasurer, co-opted without power to vote.
Revd Liz Palin was appointed as Diocesan Chaplain in 2022
Mrs. Gemma McLean-Mair, co-opted without power to vote, was appointed as Diocesan Secretary in 2024.
The Trustees are elected by Diocesan Council on a Triennial basis. The period of office for these Trustees ends on 31st December 2024.
1
## **Financial Advisers**
The charity’s main bankers CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ
A deposit account is held with: Central Board of Finance of the Church of England, 80, Cheapside London EC2B 6DZ
The Independent Examiner is: Andrew Nash The Practice 7 The Southend Ledbury Herefordshire HR8 2EY
## Review of Financial Activities
The financial activities of the Charity are as disclosed in the attached accounts which have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis. The principal assets and liabilities are as set out in the accounts. The restricted funds are also detailed in the accounts.
Members’ subscriptions for 2024 increased by the amount required from the parent organisation and enough to cover the increase in diocesan expenditure.
2
Our Diocesan Vision and Mission Statement remain the same as that of our parent Charity, as set out in the following statements:
## **Vision**
Our vision is of a world where God’s love is shown through loving, respectful and flourishing relationships. This is not a vague hope, but a goal we actively pursue by praying, campaigning and enabling.
## **Mission**
We aim to show our Christian faith by the transformation of communities worldwide. We can do this through supporting strong relationships within the family and promoting reconciliation at all levels.
## **Values**
There are more than four million members of Mothers’ Union today in 84 countries around the world. Each member subscribes to the same values:
- We are firmly rooted in voluntary ethos centered on mutual respect and collaboration.
- Our governance, leadership and programmes are driven by and undertaken through members within their own communities worldwide.
- We are inclusive and work with people of all faiths and none
## **Our aims and objectives are:**
- To encourage parents in their role to develop the faith of their children
- To maintain a worldwide fellowship of Christians united in prayer, worship and service
- To promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children
- To help those whose family life has met with adversity
- To promote and support married life
## **Membership**
Our members are not all mothers, or even all women. They are single, married, parents, grandparents, or young adults just beginning to express their social conscience. Mothers' Union provides, for all four million members, a network through which they can serve Christ in their own community - through prayer, financial support and actively working at the grassroots level in programmes that meet local needs.
## **Beliefs:**
- We believe in the value of each individual and their unique qualities
- We believe in the value of relationships. Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself."
- We believe in the value of the family in its many forms as a source of love and support for individuals and the basis for a caring community
Mothers’ Union in Gloucester Diocese works mainly through the parochial structure of the Church of England, with groups existing in some local churches, or joint groups within a Deanery. Some of our members choose to be involved at Diocesan level.
3
## Review of the Year 2024 in the Diocese of Gloucester
Following the Covid-19 pandemic. Trustee meetings have returned to normal but this has affected many branches,+ meaning we have lost members. However, new members have been welcomed in over the past year.
## **Communities of Interest:**
## A) Faith
As a Christian organisation, prayer is fundamental to everything done in and through Mothers’ Union.
A 3 day Retreat was arranged for November and 7 people attended. A short service was held at the end of Mary Sumner Day (August 9th), a social gathering of all our members to celebrate the Founder of Mothers’ Union.
Our Wave of Prayer takes place in early September and members arranged short services using the same format of praying for our linked Dioceses of Khartoum (South Sudan and Sudan), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Bari (Nigeria), Ilesa (Nigeria), Durgapur (North India) and Dornakal and Karnataka Central (South India).
In November, a Midday service was held at Gloucester Cathedral to mark the start of 16 Days of Activism against gender violence. This was led by trustees and attended by a small number of members.
Throughout the year, prayers are said at the start of each Diocesan, Deanery and local Branch meeting and Midday prayers continue to be held in the cathedral on 10 occasions in the year (not August or December), when each Deanery hosts and leads the service in rotation.
A quiet day was organized in June and 40 people attended; this was the first quiet day held since the Covid19 pandemic and it was very popular.
## B). Member Development (formerly Action & Outreach Unit)
Mothers’ Union acts in various ways to support families and in order to do this we raise money locally by holding coffee mornings, afternoon teas and sales, to name but a few examples
1) In Gloucester, we follow the national initiative of providing respite (either as holiday or a day out) for families who are in need of a break away. This scheme is called Away From It All (AFIA) and locally we use the funds donated to this scheme to help as many families as possible, who would otherwise not have such enjoyment, often working with local charities.
2) We provide wool and greeting cards to help prison workers who run craft classes. We have provided ‘a cross in my pocket’ for the chaplains to give out as they wish.
Members also knit baby items and blankets for the local hospitals for premature babies or stillborn babies.
3) Each Christmas and Easter, cards are sent to our link Diocese around the world. We continued to keep members informed wherever and whenever possible about the work of Mothers’ Union, both nationally and internationally.
4) We provide bags and basic toiletries, coffee cards and telephone sim cards for prisoners released from the local women’s prison. The contract for the organization running this at the prison finished in 2024 and there was a hiatus until contacts were finalized with the organization which was granted the next contract.
4
## C). Governance and Finance
- This committee met at the same time as the Trustee meetings so that our obligation of legal compliance was met. Financial matters were discussed and a close eye kept on outgoing expenses with very little monies being received from Branches across the Diocese. Safeguarding, GDPR and Risk Assessment, including a Risk Register and compliance under Charity regulations, were all kept under review during the year.
- Mothers’ Union Enterprises (MUe) has been operating well during 2024, as the volunteer responsible for this has engaged with members and supplied cards and goods, either at meetings and events or by personal delivery or post. The number of visits to events increased in 2024.
## D). Communications
Communications with our members is very important to us and with thanks to the volunteers who produce our Diocesan quarterly magazine “Roundabout” delivered to every member, we have achieved very good communication. Thanks are also due to a volunteer who oversees the Diocesan website, allowing members who are able to access this to be kept up to date. We also use social media, using the Facebook platform, to remind members of the daily Wave of Prayer.
The Mothers’ Union in Gloucester Diocese continues to grow in fellowship, prayer and worship and gives much time and effort to promoting the Vision, Mission, Values and Beliefs of Mothers’ Union.
There were no serious incidents to report during 2024.
Trustee ……………………………………………
Trustee …………………………………………….
5
## **MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **ACCOUNTS FOR THE**
## **YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
**Registered Charity No: 249912**
**01531 631380** www.thepracticeledbury.co.uk
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
**YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **CONTENTS:**
Page
- 1 Trustees’ Approval and Introduction
- 2 Independent Examiner’s Report
- 3 and 4 Balance Sheet
- 5 Accounting Policies 6 Receipts and Payments Account 7 to 11 Notes on the accounts
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **TRUSTEES' APPROVAL**
The accounts set out on pages 3 to 11 were reviewed and approved by the Trustees at their meeting on 21st May 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
## Doreen McLellan
Diocesan President
…………………………
## Margaret Edwards
Vice Diocesan President
………………………….
## **INTRODUCTION:**
These accounts are presented in the format required by the Statement of Recommended Practice, “ _Accounting and Reporting by Charities_ ”, published in March 2005 and updated by Regulations in May 2008.
Providing the Diocesan turnover, including the amalgamated Branches and Deaneries, remains below £250,000, there is no requirement to prepare a Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities. With the same proviso, the accounts can be prepared on a straightforward “receipts & payments” basis, without considering the inclusion of stock, debtors, creditors, and other matters which would need to be included if an “accruals” basis were adopted.
- 1 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
I report on the accounts of Mothers’ Union - Diocese of Gloucester, Charity number 249912, for the year ended 31st December 2024, which are set out on pages 3 to 11.
## **Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and examiner**
As Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. You consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act), and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
- to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act), and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's statement**
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:
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the Trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that:
- proper accounting records are kept (in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act); and
- accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Andrew Tannatt Nash FCMA CGMA MBA**
The Practice 2 New Street Ledbury Herefordshire HR8 2DX
17[th] April 2025
- 2 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **BALANCE SHEET – 31st DECEMBER 2024**
|Note
£
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Bank
Central Board of Finance
Church of England Deposit
Fund
General
Branches:
Bank
Cash
Deaneries:
Bank
Cash
Comprising:
Restricted Funds
8
Unrestricted Funds
Represented by:
**ACCUMULATED FUNDS - RESTRICTED**
**General - restricted**
At 31 December 2023
4,384
Surplus for the year
(163)
**Indoor Members**
At 31 December 2023
723
Surplus for the year
310
**Away From It All**
At 31 December 2023
15,516
Surplus for the year
(1,231)
carried forward|Note
£
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Bank
Central Board of Finance
Church of England Deposit
Fund
General
Branches:
Bank
Cash
Deaneries:
Bank
Cash
Comprising:
Restricted Funds
8
Unrestricted Funds
Represented by:
**ACCUMULATED FUNDS - RESTRICTED**
**General - restricted**
At 31 December 2023
4,384
Surplus for the year
(163)
**Indoor Members**
At 31 December 2023
723
Surplus for the year
310
**Away From It All**
At 31 December 2023
15,516
Surplus for the year
(1,231)
carried forward|**2024**
**£**
34,775
29,678
21,160
834
-
1,429
45|
£
4,362
22|**2023**
£
34,272
28,182
21,548
740
-
1,104
12|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||87,921||85,858|
|||41,320
46,601||42,611
43,247|
|||87,921||85,858|
|||
4,221
1,033
14,285||
4,384
723
15,516|
||723
310||
524
199||
||15,516
(1,231)||
16,272
(756)||
||||||
|||19,539||20,623|
- 3 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
|||**2024**||**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Note|£||£|
|brought forward||19,539||20,623|
|||
-||-|
|**Branches - restricted**|||||
|At 31st December 2023|21,988||21,235||
|Deficit for the year|(207)||753||
|Cinderford w Littledean Banner Fund||-||--|
||5|21,781||21,988|
|**TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS**|
8|41,320||42,611|
|**ACCUMULATED FUNDS - UNRESTRICTED**|||||
|**General - unrestricted**|||||
|At 31st December 2023|41,601||37,630||
|Surplus for the year|3,084||3,971||
|||44,685||41,601|
|**Branches - unrestricted**||
|||
|At 31st December 2023|530||1770||
|Surplus for the year|(87)||(1,240)||
|||443||530|
|**Deaneries - unrestricted**|||||
|At 31st December 2023|1,116||956||
|Surplus for the year|357||160||
|||1,473||1,116|
|**TOTAL UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**||46,601||43,247|
|**TOTAL ACCUMULATED FUNDS**||
87,921||85,858|
- 4 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of preparation**
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities”, published in March 2005, and subsequently updated by Regulations insofar as the provisions of the Statement and Regulations apply to these accounts.
The Balance Sheet consolidates the accounts of the Diocese and all the Branches and Deaneries on a line-by-line basis, insofar as the transactions of the Branches and Deaneries involve third parties. Transactions between the Branches, Deaneries and the Diocese are excluded, though are included as single transactions at the foot of the Statement on page 6.
## **Basis of accounting**
The accounts are prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis.
## **Funds**
A requirement of the Charities Act 2011 is to classify funds according to their type, as defined:
## **Endowment Funds**
For example, Wills and Bequests, where the donor has instructed that the capital must remain intact, and that only the income can be spent. The Diocese doesn’t have any such funds at present.
## **Restricted Funds**
These funds may only be used for a particular purpose, for example, where donations are received for a specific project.
## **Unrestricted Funds**
These are all funds which are not Endowment or Restricted. They may be of two types:
**Designated -** where the funds have been earmarked by the Administration Unit or the Trustees for a particular purpose. No designation has yet occurred.
**General -** where the funds can be used for the general expenses of Mothers’ Union. These would include donations which have not been specifically restricted by the donor for a particular purpose.
- 5 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
|**Receipts Payments**
Note
£
£
**GENERAL FUNDS**
**Diocesan Fund (partly R)**
1
20,363
17,162
**Families First (R)**
-
46
**Trading (Note 2)**
2
9,169
8,324
**Speakers' travelling fund**
-
-
**Worldwide Programme (R)**
3
4,067
4,067
**Mary Sumner House (R)**
4
15,704
15,704
**Roundabout**
1,304
2,384
**Deficit on general funds**
50,606
47,687
**OTHER FUNDS**
**Indoor Members (R)**
377
67
**Away From It All Scheme (R)**
2,051
3,282
**Money Advice Service (R)**
-
**Count Your Blessings**
-
-
**Benefice of Cinderford with**
**Littledean(Banner)**
-
-
**Branches (non-**
**Deanery/Diocesan)**
6
11,070
7,476
**Deaneries (non-Diocesan)**
7
83
75
**TOTAL TRANSACTIONS WITH**
**THIRD PARTIES**
64,188
58,586
**TRANSACTIONS WITHIN MU GLOUCESTER DIOCESE**
by Branches (on behalf of
Deanery/Diocese) (partly R)
6
25,046
28,934
by Deaneries (on behalf of
Diocese) (partly R)
7
429
80
**TOTAL SURPLUS / (DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR**|**Receipts Payments**
£
£
20,363
17,162
-
46
9,169
8,324
-
-
4,067
4,067
15,704
15,704
1,304
2,384|**Surplus/**
**Surplus/**
**(deficit)**
**(deficit)**
**2024**
**2023**
£
£
3,201
3,790
(46)
-
845
1,252
-
(66)
-
-
(1)
(1)
(1,080)
(982)
2,919
3,993
310
199
(1,231)
(756)
-
-
-
-
-
-
3,594
4,456
8
(188)
5,601
7,704
(3,888)
(4,943)
349
348
2,062
3,109|
|---|---|---|
||50,606
47,687
377
67
2,051
3,282
-
-
-
-
-
11,070
7,476
83
75||
||64,188
58,586||
- 6 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
**RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024** R = Restricted Funds (see Note 8 on page 11)
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **DIOCESAN FUND**
|**1.**
**DIOCESAN FUND**||
|---|---|
|Meetings
Volunteers Exp
Trustees' expenses
Accountant's Fees
Office postage
Printing
Rent, Telephone & Electricity
Insurance
Donations
Miscellaneous
Diocesan Subscriptions
Repayment of Tax
Secretaries’ payments
Treasurers Expenses
Diocesan President's expenses
Interest CAF Bank
Interest CBF
Office equipment
Retreats
MU Raffle 2024
Discretionary Funds & Trustee Donations|**Receipts Payments**
**Surplus**
**/**
**(deficit)**
**Surplus**
**/**
**(deficit)**
**2024**
**2023**
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
116
-
23
(23)
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,830
(1,830)
(1,830)
27
199
(172)
(105)
116
233
(117)
22
-
4,451
(4,451)
(4,232)
-
450
(450)
(450)
4,343
-
4,343
2,605
-
-
-
-
7,005
-
7,005
6,058
2,070
-
2,070
2,127
-
3,942
(3,942)
-
-
160
(160)
(160)
-
150
(150)
(109)
81
-
81
78
1,496
-
1,496
875
-
259
(259)
(946)
3,670
3,911
(241)
(60)
1,555
1,555
-
-
-
-
-
(200)|
||20,363
17,162
3,200
3,790|
- 7 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) - YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2024**
## **2. TRADING**
In September 2024 Mothers' Union Enterprises Limited (MUE) refunded £988 (September 2023: £1,037) in respect of a share of profits from the sale of literature in 2023; this is included in these accounts. It is anticipated that in the summer of 2025 a refund will be received in respect of profits from the sale of literature in 2024. The amount has yet to be determined by MUE and this refund will be included in the 2025 accounts.
## **3. WORLDWIDE PROGRAMME**
|General Overseas Fund
- repayment of tax
Emergency relief fund
- repayment of tax|**2024**
**2023**
£
£
3,673
4,495
44
27
350
600
-
-|
|---|---|
||£4,067
£5,123|
## **MARY SUMNER HOUSE**
|**4.**
**MARY SUMNER HOUSE**||
|---|---|
|General fund
Subscriptions|**2024**
**2023**
£
£
443
508
15,261
14,947|
||£15,704
£15,455|
## **5. RESTRICTED BRANCH FUNDS**
It is estimated that closing branch funds include the following amounts, received by branches from members in the autumn of 2024, but not remitted to the Diocese until the spring of 2025. These amounts represent the opening and closing balances of Restricted Branch Funds on page 4.
|Subscriptions
Roundabout subscriptions
Overseas boxes|**2024**
**2023**
£
£
18,768
18,348
1,350
1,112
1,663
2,528|
|---|---|
||£21,781
£21,988|
- 8 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **6. SUMMARY OF BRANCH ANNUAL RETURNS**
## **TRANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE DEANERY/DIOCESE**
|
£
Subscriptions (R)
19,516
Fundraising
5,530
25,046
**Payments**
Report forms, Families First (partly R)
21,028
Overseas Fund etc
7,265
Fundraising costs
541
Other (including levy)
100
28,934
**Deficit for the year**
**NON-DEANERY/DIOCESAN TRANSACTIONS**
**Receipts**
Fundraising
6,144
Donations
2,455
Interest
39
Outings
728
MU Enterprises sales
1,518
Other
186
11,070
**Payments**
Fundraising costs
448
Hall hire
2,066
Refreshments
247
Speakers' expenses
709
Postage, stationery, branch leaders’ expenses
636
Outings
760
MU Enterprises purchases
1,777
Other
832
7,476
**Surplus for the year**
**NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE**
**YEAR**|
£
19,516
5,530|**2024**
£
(3,888)
3,594|
£
20,122
5,341|**2023**
£
(4,943)
4,456|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||25,046||25,463||
||21,028
7,265
541
100||22,195
7,719
289
203||
||28,934||30,406||
||||6,176
3,054
24
1,271
1,406
234||
||11,070||12,165||
||448
2,066
247
709
636
760
1,777
832||698
1,883
170
421
429
1,524
1,837
669||
||7,476||7,709||
||||||
|||(294)||(487)|
- 9 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **7. SUMMARY OF DEANERY ANNUAL RETURNS**
## **TRANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE DEANERY/DIOCESE**
|£
**TRANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE**
**DIOCESE**
**Receipts**
Subscriptions (R)
-
Fundraising
429
429
**Payments**
Report forms (partly R)
-
Overseas Fund etc
80
Fundraising costs
-
Other
-
80
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year**
**NON-DIOCESAN TRANSACTIONS**
**Receipts**
Donations
83
83
**Payments**
Fundraising costs
-
Hall hire
40
Speakers' expenses
Other
35
75
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year**
`-`
**NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR**|**2024**
£
349
8|
£
13,179
713|**2023**
£
348
188|
|---|---|---|---|
|||13,892||
|||13,179
140
-
225||
|||13,544||
|||||
|||`-`||
|||164
24
-
-||
|||188||
|||||
||357||160|
- 10 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **8. RESTRICTED FUNDS**
|**General Fund**
**Diocesan Fund**
- office stationery and printing
- closed branches
- Action and Outreach - Parenting
- Count your Blessings
Families First
Worldwide Programme
Mary Sumner House
**Other Funds**
Indoor Members
Away From It All Scheme
Branches - other restricted elements
Deaneries - restricted elements|Balance
brought
forward
01/01/24
Receipts
Payments
Balance
carried
forward
31/12/24
£
£
£
£
2,031
116
(233)
1,914
1,017
-
-
1,017
1,513
-
-
1,513
-
-
-
46
-
(46)
-
-
4,067
(4,067)
-
-
15,704
(15,704)
-|
|---|---|
||4,607
19,887
(20,050)
4,444
723
377
(67)
1,033
15,515
2,051
(3,282)
14,284|
||20,845
22,315
(23,399)
19,761
21,988
19,516
(19,723)
21,781
(222)
-
-
(222)|
||42,611
41,830
(43,122)
41,320|
## **`9.` Expenses**
Trustees are eligible to receive conference expenses and travel expenses. The total sum reimbursed in 2024 was £117.00 for conference fees and £32.95 mileage.
- 11 -
## **MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **ACCOUNTS FOR THE**
## **YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
**Registered Charity No: 249912**
**01531 631380** www.thepracticeledbury.co.uk
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
**YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **CONTENTS:**
Page
- 1 Trustees’ Approval and Introduction
- 2 Independent Examiner’s Report
- 3 and 4 Balance Sheet
- 5 Accounting Policies 6 Receipts and Payments Account 7 to 11 Notes on the accounts
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **TRUSTEES' APPROVAL**
The accounts set out on pages 3 to 11 were reviewed and approved by the Trustees at their meeting on 21st May 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
## Doreen McLellan
Diocesan President
…………………………
## Margaret Edwards
Vice Diocesan President
………………………….
## **INTRODUCTION:**
These accounts are presented in the format required by the Statement of Recommended Practice, “ _Accounting and Reporting by Charities_ ”, published in March 2005 and updated by Regulations in May 2008.
Providing the Diocesan turnover, including the amalgamated Branches and Deaneries, remains below £250,000, there is no requirement to prepare a Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities. With the same proviso, the accounts can be prepared on a straightforward “receipts & payments” basis, without considering the inclusion of stock, debtors, creditors, and other matters which would need to be included if an “accruals” basis were adopted.
- 1 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
I report on the accounts of Mothers’ Union - Diocese of Gloucester, Charity number 249912, for the year ended 31st December 2024, which are set out on pages 3 to 11.
## **Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and examiner**
As Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. You consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act), and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
- to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act), and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's statement**
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:
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the Trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that:
- proper accounting records are kept (in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act); and
- accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Andrew Tannatt Nash FCMA CGMA MBA**
The Practice 2 New Street Ledbury Herefordshire HR8 2DX
17[th] April 2025
- 2 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **BALANCE SHEET – 31st DECEMBER 2024**
|Note
£
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Bank
Central Board of Finance
Church of England Deposit
Fund
General
Branches:
Bank
Cash
Deaneries:
Bank
Cash
Comprising:
Restricted Funds
8
Unrestricted Funds
Represented by:
**ACCUMULATED FUNDS - RESTRICTED**
**General - restricted**
At 31 December 2023
4,384
Surplus for the year
(163)
**Indoor Members**
At 31 December 2023
723
Surplus for the year
310
**Away From It All**
At 31 December 2023
15,516
Surplus for the year
(1,231)
carried forward|Note
£
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Bank
Central Board of Finance
Church of England Deposit
Fund
General
Branches:
Bank
Cash
Deaneries:
Bank
Cash
Comprising:
Restricted Funds
8
Unrestricted Funds
Represented by:
**ACCUMULATED FUNDS - RESTRICTED**
**General - restricted**
At 31 December 2023
4,384
Surplus for the year
(163)
**Indoor Members**
At 31 December 2023
723
Surplus for the year
310
**Away From It All**
At 31 December 2023
15,516
Surplus for the year
(1,231)
carried forward|**2024**
**£**
34,775
29,678
21,160
834
-
1,429
45|
£
4,362
22|**2023**
£
34,272
28,182
21,548
740
-
1,104
12|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||87,921||85,858|
|||41,320
46,601||42,611
43,247|
|||87,921||85,858|
|||
4,221
1,033
14,285||
4,384
723
15,516|
||723
310||
524
199||
||15,516
(1,231)||
16,272
(756)||
||||||
|||19,539||20,623|
- 3 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
|||**2024**||**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Note|£||£|
|brought forward||19,539||20,623|
|||
-||-|
|**Branches - restricted**|||||
|At 31st December 2023|21,988||21,235||
|Deficit for the year|(207)||753||
|Cinderford w Littledean Banner Fund||-||--|
||5|21,781||21,988|
|**TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS**|
8|41,320||42,611|
|**ACCUMULATED FUNDS - UNRESTRICTED**|||||
|**General - unrestricted**|||||
|At 31st December 2023|41,601||37,630||
|Surplus for the year|3,084||3,971||
|||44,685||41,601|
|**Branches - unrestricted**||
|||
|At 31st December 2023|530||1770||
|Surplus for the year|(87)||(1,240)||
|||443||530|
|**Deaneries - unrestricted**|||||
|At 31st December 2023|1,116||956||
|Surplus for the year|357||160||
|||1,473||1,116|
|**TOTAL UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**||46,601||43,247|
|**TOTAL ACCUMULATED FUNDS**||
87,921||85,858|
- 4 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of preparation**
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities”, published in March 2005, and subsequently updated by Regulations insofar as the provisions of the Statement and Regulations apply to these accounts.
The Balance Sheet consolidates the accounts of the Diocese and all the Branches and Deaneries on a line-by-line basis, insofar as the transactions of the Branches and Deaneries involve third parties. Transactions between the Branches, Deaneries and the Diocese are excluded, though are included as single transactions at the foot of the Statement on page 6.
## **Basis of accounting**
The accounts are prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis.
## **Funds**
A requirement of the Charities Act 2011 is to classify funds according to their type, as defined:
## **Endowment Funds**
For example, Wills and Bequests, where the donor has instructed that the capital must remain intact, and that only the income can be spent. The Diocese doesn’t have any such funds at present.
## **Restricted Funds**
These funds may only be used for a particular purpose, for example, where donations are received for a specific project.
## **Unrestricted Funds**
These are all funds which are not Endowment or Restricted. They may be of two types:
**Designated -** where the funds have been earmarked by the Administration Unit or the Trustees for a particular purpose. No designation has yet occurred.
**General -** where the funds can be used for the general expenses of Mothers’ Union. These would include donations which have not been specifically restricted by the donor for a particular purpose.
- 5 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
|**Receipts Payments**
Note
£
£
**GENERAL FUNDS**
**Diocesan Fund (partly R)**
1
20,363
17,162
**Families First (R)**
-
46
**Trading (Note 2)**
2
9,169
8,324
**Speakers' travelling fund**
-
-
**Worldwide Programme (R)**
3
4,067
4,067
**Mary Sumner House (R)**
4
15,704
15,704
**Roundabout**
1,304
2,384
**Deficit on general funds**
50,606
47,687
**OTHER FUNDS**
**Indoor Members (R)**
377
67
**Away From It All Scheme (R)**
2,051
3,282
**Money Advice Service (R)**
-
**Count Your Blessings**
-
-
**Benefice of Cinderford with**
**Littledean(Banner)**
-
-
**Branches (non-**
**Deanery/Diocesan)**
6
11,070
7,476
**Deaneries (non-Diocesan)**
7
83
75
**TOTAL TRANSACTIONS WITH**
**THIRD PARTIES**
64,188
58,586
**TRANSACTIONS WITHIN MU GLOUCESTER DIOCESE**
by Branches (on behalf of
Deanery/Diocese) (partly R)
6
25,046
28,934
by Deaneries (on behalf of
Diocese) (partly R)
7
429
80
**TOTAL SURPLUS / (DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR**|**Receipts Payments**
£
£
20,363
17,162
-
46
9,169
8,324
-
-
4,067
4,067
15,704
15,704
1,304
2,384|**Surplus/**
**Surplus/**
**(deficit)**
**(deficit)**
**2024**
**2023**
£
£
3,201
3,790
(46)
-
845
1,252
-
(66)
-
-
(1)
(1)
(1,080)
(982)
2,919
3,993
310
199
(1,231)
(756)
-
-
-
-
-
-
3,594
4,456
8
(188)
5,601
7,704
(3,888)
(4,943)
349
348
2,062
3,109|
|---|---|---|
||50,606
47,687
377
67
2,051
3,282
-
-
-
-
-
11,070
7,476
83
75||
||64,188
58,586||
- 6 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
**RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024** R = Restricted Funds (see Note 8 on page 11)
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **DIOCESAN FUND**
|**1.**
**DIOCESAN FUND**||
|---|---|
|Meetings
Volunteers Exp
Trustees' expenses
Accountant's Fees
Office postage
Printing
Rent, Telephone & Electricity
Insurance
Donations
Miscellaneous
Diocesan Subscriptions
Repayment of Tax
Secretaries’ payments
Treasurers Expenses
Diocesan President's expenses
Interest CAF Bank
Interest CBF
Office equipment
Retreats
MU Raffle 2024
Discretionary Funds & Trustee Donations|**Receipts Payments**
**Surplus**
**/**
**(deficit)**
**Surplus**
**/**
**(deficit)**
**2024**
**2023**
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
116
-
23
(23)
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,830
(1,830)
(1,830)
27
199
(172)
(105)
116
233
(117)
22
-
4,451
(4,451)
(4,232)
-
450
(450)
(450)
4,343
-
4,343
2,605
-
-
-
-
7,005
-
7,005
6,058
2,070
-
2,070
2,127
-
3,942
(3,942)
-
-
160
(160)
(160)
-
150
(150)
(109)
81
-
81
78
1,496
-
1,496
875
-
259
(259)
(946)
3,670
3,911
(241)
(60)
1,555
1,555
-
-
-
-
-
(200)|
||20,363
17,162
3,200
3,790|
- 7 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) - YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2024**
## **2. TRADING**
In September 2024 Mothers' Union Enterprises Limited (MUE) refunded £988 (September 2023: £1,037) in respect of a share of profits from the sale of literature in 2023; this is included in these accounts. It is anticipated that in the summer of 2025 a refund will be received in respect of profits from the sale of literature in 2024. The amount has yet to be determined by MUE and this refund will be included in the 2025 accounts.
## **3. WORLDWIDE PROGRAMME**
|General Overseas Fund
- repayment of tax
Emergency relief fund
- repayment of tax|**2024**
**2023**
£
£
3,673
4,495
44
27
350
600
-
-|
|---|---|
||£4,067
£5,123|
## **MARY SUMNER HOUSE**
|**4.**
**MARY SUMNER HOUSE**||
|---|---|
|General fund
Subscriptions|**2024**
**2023**
£
£
443
508
15,261
14,947|
||£15,704
£15,455|
## **5. RESTRICTED BRANCH FUNDS**
It is estimated that closing branch funds include the following amounts, received by branches from members in the autumn of 2024, but not remitted to the Diocese until the spring of 2025. These amounts represent the opening and closing balances of Restricted Branch Funds on page 4.
|Subscriptions
Roundabout subscriptions
Overseas boxes|**2024**
**2023**
£
£
18,768
18,348
1,350
1,112
1,663
2,528|
|---|---|
||£21,781
£21,988|
- 8 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **6. SUMMARY OF BRANCH ANNUAL RETURNS**
## **TRANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE DEANERY/DIOCESE**
|
£
Subscriptions (R)
19,516
Fundraising
5,530
25,046
**Payments**
Report forms, Families First (partly R)
21,028
Overseas Fund etc
7,265
Fundraising costs
541
Other (including levy)
100
28,934
**Deficit for the year**
**NON-DEANERY/DIOCESAN TRANSACTIONS**
**Receipts**
Fundraising
6,144
Donations
2,455
Interest
39
Outings
728
MU Enterprises sales
1,518
Other
186
11,070
**Payments**
Fundraising costs
448
Hall hire
2,066
Refreshments
247
Speakers' expenses
709
Postage, stationery, branch leaders’ expenses
636
Outings
760
MU Enterprises purchases
1,777
Other
832
7,476
**Surplus for the year**
**NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE**
**YEAR**|
£
19,516
5,530|**2024**
£
(3,888)
3,594|
£
20,122
5,341|**2023**
£
(4,943)
4,456|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||25,046||25,463||
||21,028
7,265
541
100||22,195
7,719
289
203||
||28,934||30,406||
||||6,176
3,054
24
1,271
1,406
234||
||11,070||12,165||
||448
2,066
247
709
636
760
1,777
832||698
1,883
170
421
429
1,524
1,837
669||
||7,476||7,709||
||||||
|||(294)||(487)|
- 9 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **7. SUMMARY OF DEANERY ANNUAL RETURNS**
## **TRANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE DEANERY/DIOCESE**
|£
**TRANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE**
**DIOCESE**
**Receipts**
Subscriptions (R)
-
Fundraising
429
429
**Payments**
Report forms (partly R)
-
Overseas Fund etc
80
Fundraising costs
-
Other
-
80
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year**
**NON-DIOCESAN TRANSACTIONS**
**Receipts**
Donations
83
83
**Payments**
Fundraising costs
-
Hall hire
40
Speakers' expenses
Other
35
75
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year**
`-`
**NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR**|**2024**
£
349
8|
£
13,179
713|**2023**
£
348
188|
|---|---|---|---|
|||13,892||
|||13,179
140
-
225||
|||13,544||
|||||
|||`-`||
|||164
24
-
-||
|||188||
|||||
||357||160|
- 10 -
**MOTHERS’ UNION - DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER**
## **NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) - YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024**
## **8. RESTRICTED FUNDS**
|**General Fund**
**Diocesan Fund**
- office stationery and printing
- closed branches
- Action and Outreach - Parenting
- Count your Blessings
Families First
Worldwide Programme
Mary Sumner House
**Other Funds**
Indoor Members
Away From It All Scheme
Branches - other restricted elements
Deaneries - restricted elements|Balance
brought
forward
01/01/24
Receipts
Payments
Balance
carried
forward
31/12/24
£
£
£
£
2,031
116
(233)
1,914
1,017
-
-
1,017
1,513
-
-
1,513
-
-
-
46
-
(46)
-
-
4,067
(4,067)
-
-
15,704
(15,704)
-|
|---|---|
||4,607
19,887
(20,050)
4,444
723
377
(67)
1,033
15,515
2,051
(3,282)
14,284|
||20,845
22,315
(23,399)
19,761
21,988
19,516
(19,723)
21,781
(222)
-
-
(222)|
||42,611
41,830
(43,122)
41,320|
## **`9.` Expenses**
Trustees are eligible to receive conference expenses and travel expenses. The total sum reimbursed in 2024 was £117.00 for conference fees and £32.95 mileage.
- 11 -