2023-12-31-accounts - The Spiritualists' National Union

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2023/24

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THE SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

The Spiritualists’ National Union is a religious charity which exists to promote Spiritualism and is also a company limited by guarantee. English Charity Reg. No. 261898. Scottish Charity Reg. No. SC041714. Company Reg. No.71661. Principal Office: Redwoods, Stansted Hall, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex CM24 8UD

The information contained in this Trustees' Annual Report & Accounts can also be accessed in digital form at www.snu.org.uk.

We value your feedback. Please contact us at snu@snu.org.uk with any comments or suggestions you may have on this Trustees' Annual Report.

		CONTENTS
		Introduction from the President	1
		Aims and Objectives	3
		Communications & Publicity	7
		Education & Exponents Committee	9
		Healing Committee	10
		Diversity & Inclusion	12
		Devloping our Ministry	13
		Working with our Churches	14
		Working with our Volunteers to support Churches	15
		Events	16
		Keeping everyone Safe - Safeguarding	17
		The Arthur Findlay College	19
		The Barbanell Centre	21
		Developing our church property together	23
		Rhyl & District celebrate	25
		Fenton a church risen from the ashes	27
		Our Finances	29
		Income	30
		Expenditure	34
		Investments & Reserves	37
		Designated Funds	38
		Suspense Account	39
		Principle Risks & Uncertainties	40
		Key Priorities for 2024/5	41
		One Union Plan Update	43
		Organisation	46
		Appointment of trustees, Trustee Induction and training	47
		Membership, Volunteers, Public Beneft, Fundraising	49
		Trustees' Responsibilities in relation to the Financial Statements Structure	51 53 5
		Management	54
		Independent Auditors Report	56
		Statement of Financial Activities	61
		Fund of Benevolence	93

Introduction from the President

It has been my honour to serve as the President of the Spiritualists’ National Union for the last two years. When I took A office in 2022, I promised members that

renumeration from courses delivered at the Arthur Findlay College has so far resulted in an extra £6,485 being placed in the President Fund, a pledge I have been proud to have been a part of. More information can be found on page 38.

the way the Union conducted itself would change. I am delighted to report back on that transformation so far. When I took office, I pledged that I would shift the focus back to our members and our churches.

Churches are at the heart of the community and this year has seen the purchase of a new church in Rhyl. Previously, Rhyl & District had been operating from rented premises. The new church allows the committee to meet the needs of those they serve. For more information, please see the article on page 25

Not just with platitudes, but with concrete support for where our churches and members are struggling the most. I am proud that we have been able to offer our churches the winter fuel grant to help them continue to open their doors when heating prices were prohibitive. Churches embraced this support and in true Spiritualist fashion, turned their attention to the community. The number of warm spaces and community engagement activities that our churches are doing is higher than ever. Numerous church grants have been awarded, to help with repairs and improvements, please turn to page 39 for more details on the work we have undertaken. My pledge to donate my

The Union was also able to assist North Shields church, who previously had to sell their building and move into rented premises, to buy their own building. This is a positive development, showing that the religion of Spiritualism is thriving and well sought after in our communities in the Northeast of Wales and Northeast of England.

When I took office, membership of the Union was

declining. I promised to change this. I am pleased to report that member numbers are on the rise. Our membership continues to grow, presently standing at 2,190 individual members. I would like to thank all those who have re-joined the Union, who see the Union as their spiritual home. I am so proud of our volunteers who continue to give their time for the religion we all love and respect.

As promised, my aim has been to be accessible, active and engaged as President. This has resulted in visits to over 100 churches in 2023 across every district of our Union. I have held consultative meetings with members, Church Presidents and District representatives. I will continue to engage with everyone to deliver the absolute best for the Union, and the march forward continues into 2024.

It is essential to keep looking critically at the religion of Spiritualism to enable it to meet the needs of those it serves well into the future. It is important that any strategy is forward-looking, seeking to improve, capable of flexibility and be one that encourages positive change. We are forever in gratitude to Arthur Findlay for his original vision of donating the college for the purposes of Spiritual learning and development. After the pandemic, we have seen student numbers rising once more. As a consequence, we have been able to reinvest in our Churches and Districts. One such initiative has been to encourage those in the churches and districts who may not be able to attend, to visit the world esteemed College for discounted weeks. Another promise fulfilled.

The introduction of new staff has been a key priority. The Union has lacked those with specific competencies and skills required to run a modern Charity. Many tasks in the past have fallen to volunteers, who have often been overwhelmed with the demands and needs required of the charity. We have welcomed key staff in areas of governance, communications and administration, and their expertise and experience have proven invaluable. We have started a new series of ‘Spotlight’ articles, in-depth visits and written articles covering churches and centres across the length and breadth of the Country. It has been another way of celebrating and recognising the incredible achievements and efforts of our volunteers, committees and their congregations.

Safeguarding remains a key priority, and to see policies, processes and training become embedded in the charity. This has not only helped to raise awareness but given practical steps forward such an event occurs. The partnership with Thirtyone:eight, continues to go from strength to strength, resulting in further opportunities for our Healing Mediums and Ministers to be DBS checked. This further initiative will help to bring confidence to communities who may seek help from the Ministry and who wish to benefit from the services of healers,

I am excited to welcome members to the SNU’s September AGM this year. We have already been able to secure cost savings, benefiting members in the long term. I hope to see as many of you there in person, to debate the Union’s future strategic priorities and to review successes so far. All of your contributions are greatly appreciated, and it is an opportunity to celebrate all your hard work and achievements this year. SNU Spiritualism is a science, a philosophy and a religion. The science aspect of our religion has been neglected for too long. I thank the work of Penny Hayward OSNU and others who have worked tirelessly to reignite the engagement with the science once again. The Steering Committee held an exceptionally interesting day at the Barbanell Centre, which was well attended with positive feedback received. For further information, the steering group has set up a dedicated science page that can be accessed via the SNU website for members to engage with and share their ideas.

To conclude, as your elected President, I will not leave the Union’s future to chance, and I pledge to:

Reorganise the SNU to meet the demands of the 21st Century, ensuring every part of our Union serves the religion of Spiritualism in the modern world.
Empower churches to unleash their potential, Finding new and innovative ways to be active parts of their community.
Renew the image of Spiritualism, so that the public know who we are and what we believe, not the myths the media portray.
Raise the profile of Spiritualist healing in all of our churches.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE CHARITY ARE:

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TO ENCOURAGE
Spiritualist scientific research, working
with scientific and educational TO CERTIFICATE
establishments in the UK
and internationally. To train and appoint Ministers, lecturers,
exponents and teachers to allow them
to promote the religion of Spiritualism to
the highest standard.
TO PUBLISH
To source, commission and distribute
Spiritualist literature and promote
mission work through many forms of
media, including raising our profile on
social media platforms internationally.
TO PROMOTE
To work towards the promotion, advancement
and diffusion of a knowledge of the religion
and religious philosophy of Spiritualism on the
basis of the SNU Seven Principles as defined
in the Articles of Association, to unite
Spiritualist societies and churches into a
TO SUPPORT them full recognition as religious bodies both Spiritualist brotherhood and to secure for
within the community in which they operate
To continue to develop the work of the but also collectively within the wider society.
Arthur Findlay College and the Barbanell
Centre as major international teaching
centres for the advancement of psychic
science and the training of exponents, in
addition to using virtual tools to teach and
promote the message of Spiritualism for
those unable to attend either the Arthur
Findlay College or the Barbanell Centre.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

The Trustees are pleased to present their report, together with the audited financial statements of the charity, for the year ending 31st December 2023.

The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice second edition 2019 and FRS 102.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Communications & Publicity

2023 was a time of great change and forward momentum within the Union, and most certainly within the field of its approach to communications and publicity. The year began with the appointment of Kyle Pedley as the union’s new Head of Communications in January, whereafter he compiled a comprehensive review and report on where the union needed to build upon and modernise its approach to various elements of communications.

Priorities have been identified (and sometimes, changed), strategies have been developed and positive, exciting initiatives were initiated. With ‘comms’ being something of a field that filters through to every element and department of the Union and its operations, it has been a challenging but rewarding year of working with so many people and places within the SNU. There has been the continuation of our ongoing ‘Spotlight’ series - in-depth visits to churches and centres across the UK, to share their inspiring stories of determination, transformation and ‘Spiritualism in action’. From moving, award-winning community outreach at churches such as Fenton and Edinburgh, the amazing renovation and rejuvenation that has taken place at the likes of Derby Central and Glasgow Association of Spiritualists, to myriad examples of selflessness and generosity showcased by volunteers across the entire Union in our special Volunteer’s Week Spotlight.

With many more stories and examples of great practice still to come, and further visits on the horizon, it remains a real highlight to be able to spend time with the dedicated committee members, officers and volunteers across the Union who make it what is. To spend time with them and to hear and share their stories and experiences remains a real privilege and keystone of the Union’s communications and publicity strategy. From an audiovisual perspective, new videos have been produced for a number of important elements of the Union’s operations, including a brand-new ‘Introduction to Safeguarding’ video, which was filmed at various locations across the Union with various Ministers, officiants and SNU personnel, and advisory videos for churches with Matthew Mold, including help with Part 2 returns and preparing church AGMS. We have also begun accumulating a digital assets library for the Union, which has included photographing and documenting key events including the Peace Walk in July, the AFC Open Week in May and other important events.

Also in July, we were thrilled to coordinate and deliver our very first ‘hybrid’ AGM, which allowed those who could not attend in-person to participate via Zoom. The response to the hybrid element of our AGM was extremely positive. At AGM, we also announced our ‘Digital Development Scheme’, a series of projects to improve upon the Union’s websites, online and digital strategy, including its offerings to churches and district councils. As a sizeable, Union-wide undertaking, this is a complicated and involved process that will take time to realise and deliver, but meetings and development continue, so please watch this space!

Toward the end of 2023, we trialled and then implemented digital nominations and voting for District Council AGMs. The Union would like to thank the East London and Scottish & Irish District Councils for participating in our trial run of these in October. It has certainly proven a learning experience, but feedback to the digital nomination and voting infrastructure itself has been overwhelmingly positive and seamless, making good on something members have repeatedly asked for (and even passed AGM motions on) in the

"The Union has seen a notable increase in its engagement on Facebook and Instagram over the past twelve months, with performance and engagement by every measurable metric reach, content interactions, followers, link clicks and minutes viewed all up on 2022 and previous years".

past. We will continue to refine and develop this process and have already agreed to produce a series of supporting material and guides before next year’s AGM season. As mentioned, it has been a real pleasure to work with a number of different committees, officers and members of the NEC to assist with their portfolios. From helping to organise and promote the Diversity and Inclusion Support Groups with then-Ordinary Director 3, Anne-Marie Bond DSNU, to undertaking research and surveys to ensure our overseas members are seen and heard, and getting members’ input on key issues such as the Seven Principles with Ordinary Director 1, Adam Berry DSNU, through to helping to promote what has ended up being a highly successful new weekly online Divine Service with the Education and Exponents Committee, and the sold-out ‘Bringing Science into Spiritualism’ update day at Barbanell with the Union’s ‘Arthur’s Vision’ Science Group. There is so much more that we have been doing than can be included, not least of all day-to-day social media, online engagement and content sharing.

The Union has seen a notable increase in its engagement on Facebook and Instagram over the past twelve months, with performance and engagement by every measurable metric - reach, content interactions, followers, link clicks and minutes viewed - all up on 2022 and previous years. This has been thanks to internal, self-generated content and focal points - such as bespoke graphics, stories and items for key dates and events in the year such as the Union’s birthday on October 18th, Hydesville Day, International Women’s Day, World Environment Day etc., as well as sharing achievements, stories and celebrations across the Union. With lots already done and achieved, but still so much more to share and to come, it’s a positive, exciting time for the Union, and communications and publicity continues to be at the core, beating heart of it all.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Education & Exponents Committee

Healing Committee

The prospectus continues to be updated, including processes and procedures being reviewed to provide clarity, consistency and fairness in training and assessment of candidates. This includes the clarity on criteria, and listing correction points per discipline and award, enabling a fairer and clearer assessment process for candidates and assessors.

New Assessors have continued to be recruited and trained; this will help to secure a good availability of assessors, thus aiding the availability of final assessment boards for those seeking assessment. The current cohort of Assessor training have provided feedback that the training has been valuable, rewarding and empowering.

The Healing Committee worked hard over 2023 to continue to improve and develop the training offered to healers, both nationally, online and at church and district level. Extensive work has taken place to develop the code of conduct for healers, to modernise this and reflect current practices. Large numbers of healers have been trained, assessed and approved with assistance from the Healing Committee to aid the availability of healing Mediums nationally and internationally.

A proactive approach to bringing together the healing community and aiding a sense of community and improved communication, which has included an event for healers at the Barbanell Centre (attendance was also available online for those unable to travel).

The Education & Exponents Committee has been proactive in making the availability of final assessment boards as abundant as possible, particularly to individuals who have been waiting some time to be assessed. There has been changes to the criteria at diploma level, professionalising the award and due to this being a minimum requirement to teach at the AFC. This has been coordinated alongside the Collegiate committee.

There is a focus on updating of course material to reflect current practices and modernisation of terminology, this is an ongoing project.

Work has been undertaken recently to assess / approve the credentials of Healers from other organisations who may wish to transfer to the SNU. This has resulted in the recruitment of some experienced practitioners.

The Healing Committee continues to be involved in events such as national healing week which helps to promote and elevate SNU healing to a wider audience. An education residential training week continues to also be offered annually in May at a discounted price, this is well attended and receives good feedback from those who attend.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Diversity & Inclusion

Anne-Marie Bond, Ordinary Director 3, created a positive body of work that aimed to create a strategy for developing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across the Union. This was facilitated through a number of discussion groups that focused on Ethnicity, Disability and Sexual Orientation. The aim of each group was to capture ideas, thoughts, and experiences of individual members, enabling the NEC to better to understand and respond to members experiences.

Anne-Marie’s work was underpinned by principles of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) as outlined in the Equality Act 2010. The Charity Commission has identified that diversity in committees leads to better decision making. Anne-Marie has provided a foundation upon which the new Ordinary Director 3, Sean Taylor, will be able to continue to progress and build our continuing commitment to EDI.

Moving forward, the portfolio will continue to be underpinned by the universal values of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion also our first principle, the Fatherhood of God. Operating within the legislative framework of the Equality Act 2010 and guided by the Charities Commission for England and Wales and OSCR for Scotland; the portfolio will further build on the previous work achieved. Diversity and inclusion must impact upon all aspects of the Union’s activities and shape our organisational culture.

"Moving forward, the portfolio will continue to be underpinned by the universal values of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion also our first principle, the Fatherhood of God".

Scoping the portfolio will continue to involve conversations in partnership with NEC, AFC, District Councils, Churches, Centres and individual members to explore their views and the lived experience of our employees and volunteers. This exercise will help us to deliver meaningful outcomes for our employees, volunteers, visitors and students. Change management is rarely an easy process, so it is important that a collaborative approach is adopted, especially when change will impact upon our policies, procedures, organisational structure, strategy and culture.

The guiding vision for the portfolio is to make the Union fit for the 21st century. That requires not only recognising and celebrating where diversity and inclusion exists within the Union, but also about having meaningful conversations about how we can more effectively enable people to experience inclusion and reflecting wider society across our Union. Effective change needs to start from the centre of the Union, with the NEC.

A number of conversations have already been had with various members of the NEC, District Councils and members of our ministry and this will be an ongoing process. It is vital to establish partnership working with other portfolios, ensuring that Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is embedded at every tier of the Union. To ensure that effective change continues, a presentation of the portfolio is planned to the National Council, again, ensuring that meaningful dialogue and a collaborative approach is taken when delivering change.

Through dialogue and partnership, we will be better placed to identify positive EDI outcomes, so our Union will be better placed to meet the current and future needs of employees, volunteers, visitors and students.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

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Developing our
Ministry
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Working With Our Churches

It has been a busy year for the Ministry Development Committee. In line with priorities agreed as part of the strategic plan:

We have improved communication, training and support within the Ministry

Implemented a Newsletter with information and inspirational content
Started holding Fellowship meetings every month
Held a zoom Spring Congress to provide updates, share good practice and training

We are reviewing and developing the pathway to the Ministry, education, training and assessment

We have reviewed and updated education course M1 and produced a training handbook and student handbook. We have implemented a new central training programme for Officiants through a mixture of zoom sessions and a training weekend at the Barbanell Centre.
We have reviewed and updated M2 (the old Pastoral Care Course)

Due to the success of the Treasurers video, which received positive feedback, during 2023 the Union introduced additional short training videos, with corresponding resources, to help those who have been newly appointed to church committees in a Church. The subjects included the role of the Secretary and how to prepare for an AGM.

The Church Relations Coordinator, Matthew Mold, developed a community engagement strategy which was adopted by the NEC. This comprehensive strategy seeks to place our churches in the heart of the community whilst engaging with a wider range of people and stakeholders in order to promote the religion of Spiritualism.

We have further developed the role of the Ministry:

Spiritual Leadership: through compiling a ‘Spirit Speaks’ booklet and a monthly Book Club. We have also started to review the Ministerial services. We are adding information on bereavement to the website

Developing further links with Churches and DCs through providing support for safeguarding and seeking to develop the role of the community ministry
Promote Spiritualism through local and national partnerships with active support for inter faith activities and being active in our local communities.
Support for implementing safeguarding through the District Safeguarding Coordinators

Promote the work of the Ministry:

We are working on new publicity material leaflets, posters and website presence

The great work undertaken within the churches continues including the re-opening of Belper Church, who have had great success in fundraising through activities such as a fashion show and auction. Runcorn Church, saved from closure, is going from strength to strength with the new committee working incredibly hard to raise monies for their new building. Manchester Spiritualist Centre has been a great success, forming a new committee, making improvements to their building, and arranging a packed calendar of activities, all of which has turned the church around.

Late 2023 saw the roll out of six live training session for churches on the AGM procedure. These proved to be popular, and it is hopes that additional sessions will be held in early 2024. In addition to the sessions, template documents have been developed and made available to churches to reduce the workload of our volunteers.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Working with our volunteers to support churches

This is a brand-new portfolio for Ordinary Director 2, Pat Redman, who was appointed in late 2023. It is entitled ‘Volunteer and Community Engagement’, and its aim is to focus on how we can support our church volunteers and how our churches can better engage with the communities they serve. Early work was undertaken toward the end of 2023 for this project. The strategy for the coming year is to scope out best practice for recruiting, valuing, rewarding, and retaining volunteers. It will look at how our organisation can help churches encourage volunteers in, and how volunteers can be placed into positions which match their skill set, thereby giving them a much more rewarding experience.

Volunteers give up an incredible amount of personal time to ensure that our churches are kept open. The work that must be undertaken from the church President to the person who gives out the hymn books or makes the tea and everyone in between is not to be underestimated, and they need to know for their own self esteem that they are valued. In terms of recognising our volunteers, as an organisation we have an annual ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award, which is appreciated. In 2023, this was awarded to Cathy Bradley, of Sleaford Spiritualist Church. However, can we do more to recognise and reward our volunteers? In the community there are national and local ‘Recognition and Reward schemes’, where volunteers can earn digital time credits which can be redeemed for rewards, such as free cinema tickets etc. We will research whether such a scheme is relevant to our needs.

Appropriate training to develop volunteer skills is essential and helps volunteers to feel valued. It gives them a much more rewarding experience, which in turn assists in retaining volunteers. Church Coordinator Matthew Mold is working to produce online training for church committee positions. More videos will be made available over the coming months. Also, there are some low-cost training courses available in the community, including the Open University which has a wide selection of free courses available including one on working in the voluntary sector.

We hope to develop a volunteer retention strategy, and training strategy.

Events

2023 was an excellent year for events within the Union, perhaps most notably with the first in-person Annual General Meeting since 2019. This was held in at the Holiday Inn, Norwich on 14-16 July, and was a great success. Many attendees and speakers alike commented on how wonderful it was to be gathering together as friends and Spiritualists in one common purpose again. In addition to welcoming members and friends back together in person, it was also the first ‘hybrid’ event the union had offered, meaning those who were unable to attend in person could still watch and participate - including submitting comments and questions - via Zoom. Feedback provided for the quality and reliability of the online/hybrid element was excellent, with the weekend enjoying at times up to one hundred members participating online who would otherwise have been unable to. We look forward to once again implementing the hybrid option for the next scheduled AGM, which will be held 27-29 September 2024.

Also returning for 2023 was our annual Peace Walk at the National Memorial Arboretum. Attendance levels were excellent, with a packed hall at the Arboretum for a touching services of prayers, addresses and meditations, including from the President of the Union and other senior figures. The walk itself was enjoyed by all, with transport buggies laid on for those with mobility restrictions, and was also professionally photographed, again in order to share the day online with those who could not attend. Attendees were also provided a cream tea after the walk itself, which was highly popular and proved to be a well-received finish to a memorable day.

Both events will take place again in 2024, and we anticipate and expect increased attendance figures, owing to the promotion and excellent feedback of 2023’s offerings. The Head of Communications, along with head office and members of the NEC, are also considering and exploring new ways to promote and drive engagement with these important events as they form such a crucial part of the union’s calendar and revenue both. Other events are also currently in the early stages of being explored and considered, to diversify and keep fresh the nature of centralised events that the union organises and provides.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Keeping Everyone Safe-safeguarding update

We have taken giant strides forward in our approach and commitment to safeguarding in order to keep our Churches as safe places for all including:

Agreed and disseminated our new safeguarding policy.

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ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

The Arthur Findlay College

2023 represents a year of change for the Arthur Findlay College. Design of the 2023 programme took place in 2021 when Covid was still very much a consideration and clearly impacted on the plans that could be made. Understandably, advance reservations were not at levels previously seen as many of our students delayed committing to overseas travel until much nearer the course dates. The Collegiate committee took steps to add to the programme, improved marketing, and encouraged course organisers from the past who we knew students wanted to learn from. We offered special reduced prices for weekend courses and saw the return of increased number of students.

Open Week was held in May 2023 and was blessed with a weekend of fantastic weather and excellent attendance, thanks to the promotion of the event on Facebook and other social media channels, to widen its reach.

Minister Jackie Wright, when elected President, promised to bring the college back to the churches, to that aim we saw the return of District weeks, heavily subsidised to benefit you the churches. We have seen 5 districts take this offer up. The programme has been updated and refreshed with new and interesting courses, and we have seen 4 new tutors start at the college in 2023. It is reassuring to see the confidence coming back with students attending after the insecurity of the covid years.

A repair programme was put in place to ensure our beloved college did not fall into further disrepair, led by the new property manager, and this project will continue throughout 2024. Some of the work carried out:

Improved wheelchair access in the clock house
• External repairs to the Pioneer Centre’s bell tower • External repairs to the large Lounge’s stonework • Restoration of the main staircase
Restoration of lecture room wood panelling
Boiler replacement

The College was impacted by inflationary increases in the cost of all supplies including food and utilities. In addition, the number of staff required to manage the increasing student numbers, alongside the revised pay rates implemented in 2022 (see page 35 for further details), resulted in an increase of overall expenditure.

Despite all the challenges throughout the year, the Arthur Findlay College returned to profit, reporting a surplus of £279,708 (2022: (£107,651)

Installation of hearing loop in lecture room and Sanctuary roof

£149,324 (2022: £85,874) was spent on repairs and maintenance during the accounting period.

The Board would like to acknowledge the hard work of our staff and volunteers who work tirelessly for the success of the world-famous Arthur Findlay College.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

The Barbanell Centre

The Barbanell Centre has been invaluable in 2023 as a centre that hosts many SNU events and has helped support the Education and Exponents Committee with final assessments across full range of awards that the SNU offers. Training of Ministers, lecturers, exponents and teachers also takes place within the Centre, assisting them to promote the religion of Spiritualism to the highest standard whether in our Churches, on-line or in promotion the religion of Spiritualism in the wider community.

The Centre has hosted 2 NEC meetings and 2 District Council meetings which allow our members to meet together in person and discus and deliberate how our churches and centres can move forward and promote our religion. The Centre has also hosted a number of specialists days such as a Healing Day, and intensive CSNUs & d and DSNU s & d training courses. The Centre has a good relationship with the Winfred Gandine-Stanton Trust and has hosted a weekend course, with further courses planned for 2024 and beyond.

The courses offered in 2023 have been extremely varied and the Centre is constantly looking to expand the programme and keep the courses as cost effective as possible to service the needs of international and UK based students and visitors. In 2023 new 6/7-day courses included Intermediate/advance Mediumship, Trance controlled Mediumship and Trance. The Centre has worked with North Yorkshire District Council to host a weekends personalised to their churches. It is hoped to develop this further with more Districts in 2024. The promotion of events through social media has seen an uptake in visitors in 2023.

The Centre would like to thank Penny Hayward (OSNU) and her research team for hosting the recent Science Day. This pioneering work has motivated all who attended to experiment using activities provided in Churches, in groups and individually. It was a truly innovative and enjoyable day with more sessions planned in the future.

The Centre plans to expand the programme in 2024 which will no doubt bring a different dynamic to the Barbanell with a German week and a Swedish week.

The Centre is also working in with the community offering a facility for training working for external organisations such as the NHS, and Women’s aid.

Many of the activities at the Barbanell Centre are centred around supporting the training and development of all Spiritualists, as well as acting as a meeting place for committees and the NEC.

By using the Centre in this way, the charity does not have to meet the costs of external accommodation and room hire, and the cost to the Centre of hosting SNU committee activities is reimbursed to the Centre from Head Office.

During the year, the Barbanell Centre reported a loss of £64,796. (2022: (£48,414))

The Centre would like to thank, visitors, exponents and tutors for your kind and positive feedback.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Developing Our Church Property Together

2023 saw the appointment of the Union’s new Property Manager, Andy Foley who, over the last year, has travelled all over the UK in support of our churches, from Scotland to the Isle of Wight.

Andy has supported and advised churches on utilities, contracts, insurance, church compliance and risk management, maintenance and property issues, planning consents and project management, legal issues, permissions and disputes. In order to support the churches and assist Andy to make the right decisions for each building, the Finance Committee agreed to set aside a budget of £20,000 from Aged Suspense to fund surveys and condition reports. Andy used the reports provided to help shape long-term maintenance programmes for the churches and allow the Union to manage any serious defects highlighted. Please find below some examples of how the Union has used Andy’s skills, alongside funds from Aged Suspense, to provide building security for our churches.

Horden Church

Horden church building was in a very poor condition, and it was thought that the best approach would be to demolish and rebuild the property at a considerable cost. Andy worked closely with the church committee who sourced an alternative approach which would enable the building to be retained whilst addressing the structural issues. Andy liaised with the developers to ensure that the project would provide a suitable and long term solution to the church’s issues. The Union and church worked together to fund the project which will be completed in 2024.

North Shields church

North Shields sold its previous building in 2021 and has been operating from rented premises, restricting the members activities and preventing the church from growing. The church identified another building that would make a suitable new home and worked closely with Andy to purchase the property. The funding for the project was a collaboration between the church, the Union who released funds from a closed church within the area, and the SNU Trust. The Trust provided a loan to enable the church to complete building work to allow the members to make the best use of the property.

Sheffield SNU Spiritualist Church

During 2023 Sheffield South Road and Sheffield Whitham Road agreed to merge, selling Whitham Road to fund the renovation required at South Road which would give the members a warm and inviting home. Andy liaised with solicitors and other professional to sell the building and has continues to assist the church committee to undertake the building work required.

Help for your church

If your church needs any help or support in relation to your building then please contact Head Office or email Andy Foley directly on andy.foley@snu.org.uk

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Rhyl & District celebrate a new home and new beginnings

Since its incorporation within the SNU in the late 1960s, Rhyl & District Spiritualist Church has found itself lodged in a variety of buildings and rented spaces over the years. In late 2023, the combined efforts and enterprise of the committee, hoping to once again have a place to call their own, coupled with financial and practical support from the Union, saw the possibility of having their own church become a reality.

Before finding their new home, the church most recently rented space from a local operatic centre, but this came with its own limitations and challenges. The church would regularly fill the room available, and at times Healing sessions and circles would have to take place in the kitchen.

The church worked alongside SNU Property Manager, Andy Foley, to find a new home for the church and found a building which was originally a Wesleyan chapel dating from 1832, it was in excellent condition both structurally and decoratively.

Since opening in January 2024, the church has been hosting an abundance of services and events, but the members are also keen to embrace and support the local community. The church is working with other local community groups such as Girl Guides and Beavers to provide meeting space for them at reasonable rates.

The success of the collaboration between the church and the Union is testament to the incredible work and effort of the church members over the last few years, and the Union looks forward to seeing the church go from strength to strength.

For up-to-date news and information on Rhyl & District Spiritualist Centre, you can join their Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/188599664532283

You can also visit their official website at www.rhylspiritualistcentre.uk

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Fenton a church Risen from the ashes

Fenton church has gone from being on the brink of close to being an award-winning success.

A dedicated, passionate committee, and a drive and desire to place the church back as an integral part of the surrounding area, have all been key elements in Fenton’s revival success story, along with a view of the church being the soul of the community. There’s no denying that Fenton have indeed done just that. Of course, they offer the traditional services you would expect from a Spiritualist church and centre in 2023. Its regular demonstrations of mediumship, healing circles, meditation sessions, one-to-one bookings and more, all continue to go from strength to strength. It’s perhaps in its broader community outreach, though, where Fenton’s story truly sings. Born from the touching, personal circumstances of one of their own, a project formed that would go on to see the church receive an award in recognition of their excellent work.

The grief group started from a conversation with a member of the church and what followed was an initiative, assisted by nearby Staffordshire University, that eventually saw the church providing space for grief counselling - including pre-bereavement guidance and preparation - every other Thursday, on a free-of-charge, walk-in basis. Three qualified counsellors use the space provided to deliver the service, whilst the church is already open, heated and lit for other services.

The heartwarming, important project was recognised and celebrated when the church won a community enterprise award, given by local radio station, Signal1, and the award sits proudly on the podium at the front of the church. A similar outreach project has seen Fenton hosting a weekly ‘warm bank’ on Mondays. As churches and committees up and down the Country face the realities of post-pandemic pressures, the double conundrum of cost of living and energy crises, there’s a lot to be said for how the team at Fenton are planning and coordinating their efforts so that multiple events and services can take place at the same time. So that initiatives such as the grief group and warm banks can be provided at a time when the church was already open.

The human experience, a clear sense of camaraderie and friendship, and the realisation of Spiritualism’s second principle, are all clearly at the core of so much of what Fenton is achieving. The recent spectre of what fate could have befallen the church no doubt underpins so much of the excellent work being done here; knowing that in different circumstances, this could have very easily been a church consigned to closure and history. It’s testimony to the tireless work of its committee, members and volunteers, then, that Fenton is, instead, thriving.

You can contact Fenton Spiritualist Church via email at fentonspiritualistchurch@yahoo.com

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

INCOME

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£4,000,000
£3,000,000
£2,000,000
£1,000,000
£500,000
£400,000
£300,000
£200,000
£100,000
£50,000
£0
Education Investment Trading Affiliation Donations Other
Programme Income Activities & Legacies
2023 £3,678,259 £372,233 £59,392 £61,629 £1,045,337 £36,465
2022 (£2,162,941) (£332,268) (£133,985) (£73,756) (£936,352) (£13,586)
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During the accounting period total income rose to £5,253,315 (2022: £3,652,888) and total expenditure rose to £4,788,789 (2022: £3,295,148) with net income before net gains/(losses) on investments rising to £464,526 (2022: £357,740)

Donations and Legacies

During 2023 the Union received donations of £1,045,337 (2022: £936,353), a breakdown of which is as follows:

OUR FINANCES

Donations

The Union received £54,987 (2022: £27,550) in donations of small amounts, many thanks to those members who contributed in this way, every donation, no matter how small is helpful!

Income from Closed Churches

During the accounting period £953,050 (2022: £903,802) was received representing the assets of churches which closed within the year, and which are held in the SNU Suspense account in accordance with the conditions of the associated Trust Deeds.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Income from Property Held in Suspense

£37,300 (2022: £27,967) in rental income has been received from buildings held as part of the Suspense Fund.

The Union has available a booklet, ‘Leaving a Gift in your Will to Spiritualism’, which is available digitally throughout all SNU websites and provides guidance on how to leave a legacy to support either the Union or one of its churches.

Charitable Activities

Income from charitable activities accounts for 71% of the overall income of the Union and provided £3,739,888 (2022: £2,236,697) during the accounting period.

online content continued to be offered to all members and includes services of worship, education courses, healing, readings and training as part of a varied programme. Understandably, as students return to in person courses, uptake of the online programme has reduced but still provides another substantial income stream to the Union.

Healing

Healing undertaken across all branches of the Union provided an addition £38,711 (2022: £37,315).

Course Notes, Publications and other items

£256,479 (2022: £133,717) was received during the accounting period and represents income from both Education and Exponents as well as sundry sales at the College.

Other Rental Income

Affiliation Income

Affiliation income includes both church affiliation fees and any property management fees received during 2023

The Church affiliation fees due on the 1st of January 2023 represented £37,567 (2022: £39,350) of the Union's total income. These funds are used to fund the support from head office which is provided to our affiliated bodies and membership.

In addition, Churches in Sole Trust pay £100 per annum towards the cost of retaining the services of the Property Manager and total £19,575 (2022: £21,133). £4,487 (2022: £13,273) was received in additional property management fees.

During the year, the Union reviewed the way in which churches are charged an additional fee when undertaking the sale or purchase of a building as historically, a fee has been levied which goes towards covering the costs of the Union’s property management. The Board felt that the charity should share the responsibility and supporting working churches and therefore agreed the following change in approach going forwards:

•Any major scheme requiring project management should be charged on a case-by-case basis and should be agreed and confirmed with the church before the commencement of any project. Assistance given to churches to assess the viability of the project should not be considered chargeable.

•No charge should be levied on working churches
•Levy a fee on sales or purchases on closed churches of 3.5%

Rental income of £87,462 (2022: £69,149) was received in relation to room and accommodation hire, primarily at the Barbanell Centre.

Income from Other Trading Activities

Members’ Subscriptions

Individual members continue to support the SNU by renewing their individual membership when they fall due, usually at the beginning of October. The Union would like to take this opportunity to thank the members for their continued support.

During the year, a decision was made to change the accounting treatment for Individual Membership and SNUi income to bring the charity into line with best accounting practices. Going forwards any fees paid during the accounting period, but which relate to the following year will be included as deferred income. Please refer to Note 4 and Note 19 of the accounts for further information.

Including membership fees paid to SNUi, membership subscriptions achieved an income of £37,006 (2022: £82,597) and a further £45,670 was accounted for as deferred income for 2024.

This ensures that working churches retain their own funds at a time when they need it most.

Other Income from Trading Activities

Visitor Fees

Additional sundry income of £22,386 (2022: £51,388) was received during the year.

The closure of the Arthur Findlay College in recent years had a significant impact on the charity and reopened in March 2022 with a reduced student capacity initially. Relaxation of restrictions across the world, coupled with the lifting the restriction on the student capacity, resulted in an increase of education related income to £3,295,607 (2022 £1,922,760).

Included in the total visitor fees is £263,912 (2022: £345,232) relating to on-line sale. Post pandemic,

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Investment income

EXPENDITURE

The Union received £372,233 (2022: £332,268) during the accounting period.

Listed Investment Income

The dividend income received by the Union across all portfolios increased by 10.6% providing an income of £213,870 (2022: £193,382) as the portfolio shifted towards absolute return and fixed interest holdings to take advantage of higher interest rates.

During the accounting period, inflationary pressure eased, reducing particularly in the final quarter of the year. The markets have also adapted to find alternative sources for supplies, as well as establishing new markets for their products, which were impacted by the ingoing war in Ukraine. These are some of the factors which allowed the markets to finish strongly in 2023 and losses made on the investments during 2022 have been reversed and a gain of £282,063 (2022: (£801,379)) has been reported for the year.

The Union meet regularly Brewin Dolphin and remains committed to its investment portfolio policy as a long-term investor.

Investment Property Rental Income

Rental income of £81,115 (2022: £76,405) was received from properties held by the Union for investment purposes and are separate from those held in Suspense.

All Union rental properties continued to be managed on our behalf through professional agents.

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£5,000,000
£4,000,000
£3,000,000
£2,000,000
£1,000,000
£500,000
£400,000
£300,000
£200,000
£100,000
£50,000
£25,000
£0
Education Publications Affiliation Raising
Programme Funds
2023 £4,071,667 £214,674 £496,091 £6,357
2022 (£2,875,912) (£200,050) (£201,603) (£17,583)
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Expenditure in the year was £4,788,789 (2022 £3,295,148) and represents all expenditure by the charity during the accounting period.

Support Costs

Support costs are the expenditure incurred by the Union to run the charity and are £1,073,912 (2022: £850,221). The costs are apportioned between the three main areas of charitable income.

During 2023 the Union engaged the services of both a Head of Communications and a Property Manager, in line with the commitment from the President to engage professionals where needed, resulting in Human Resources support costs of £391,524 (2022: £297,589)

Increased costs for all services including post and utilities, as well as repairs needed to head office resulted in an uplift in expenditure of general office expenses to £242,491 (2022: £141,867).

Affiliation Costs

Included in activities directly undertaken in affiliation costs £330,653 (2022: £124,544) are grants and other payments made from Suspense on behalf of churches. Further details can be found on page 29

2023, being the first full year of trading for the Arthur Findlay College, reflects the increase in expenditure around the educational programme £3,234,782 (2022: £2,179,215). All costs relating to the implementation of the course programme, including overheads related to the running of the building as well as tutor fees, stock and staff wages have increased during the accounting period.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Staff Costs

When the College reopened in April 2022 recruitment and retention of staff was a national issue, if the charity was unable to obtain staff, then the College would have been unable to host students. Therefore, the Board at that time conducted a review of all pay rates to ensure that the charity was not only competitive in the job market, but also to ensure that existing loyal staff were paid a fair rate for their role.

The review resulted in an uplift of the monthly wages bill at that time of around 10%, with a projected annual cost which would be in line with those at the end of 2019 albeit with fewer staff. The Board was mindful that the additional burden of staff costs would be felt in the future as staff numbers rose however it was felt that the action was necessary and vital to the organisation.

The number of staff at the College in April 2022 was much lower than previously due to a necessary and difficult redundancy programme but increased throughout the remainder of 2022 and into 2023.

Taking into account the two additional support staff costs (see Support Costs), overall staff costs for the charity have increased to £1,959,683 (2022: £1,432,683) during the accounting period.

The total employee benefits for the 6 key management personnel (2022: 5) was £300,362 (2022: £259,738), the additional post was as a result of an additional member of staff joining the team in a temporary capacity.

Remuneration of Key Personnel

The key management personnel of the organisation are responsible for the day-to-day running of the charity and are listed on page 54 of this report.

The remuneration of key management personnel is reviewed annually to take into account inflation, performance and the employment marketplace and in line with the SNU remuneration policy. It is the policy of the SNU that the charity should pay the minimum of the Real Living Wage for all employees.

The President’s salary is reviewed every two years. The total aggregate remuneration of key management personnel is included in the notes to the accounts.

Plans for 2024

It is planned to bring in a Human Resources Manager during 2024 to continue the programme of professionalising areas of the charity that has traditionally relied on volunteers to manage.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

INVESTMENTS AND RESERVES

The objectives of the consolidated investment portfolios are to generate capital growth and income. The Charity wish for the capital to grow at least in line with inflation whilst generating income to support charitable activities. Over 2023, the portfolio provided a total return of 7.63% after fees, while over the same period UK Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) added 3.95%.

The SNU's assets are invested broadly in line with its aims where possible. Specifically, the Trustees do not invest in companies that are involved in armaments, the production of tobacco, or pornography, with directly held securities. The brokers adopt a responsible approach to risk management with agreed levels of risk which are reviewed on a twice-yearly basis with Brewin Dolphin.

DESIGNATED FUNDS

A fixed asset fund of £4,949,028 (2022: £4,949,028) forms part of the designated funds held and a further £5,346,867 (2022: £4,693,576) is designated as the Suspense Investment Account.

During the accounting period two addition designated funds were created.

Presidents Fund

When elected, President Jackie Wright pledged that any tutor fees earned when serving the College would be donated back to the Union and placed in a fund to assist churches cover the expenses of urgent, essential and mandatory items they need. The fund currently stands at £6,485 (2022; nil)

AFC Building Restoration Fund

The Union’s brokers, Brewin Dolphin, have discretionary authority to buy and sell stocks within the portfolio without reference to the Trustees. This policy is reviewed at six-monthly intervals by the Finance Director and the President meeting with the brokers and these meetings are reported back to the Finance Committee and the Board. All shares within the portfolio are regularly reviewed by the brokers taking account of the considerable research resource they have at their disposal and the portfolio continues to be managed to meet the risk criteria set by the Finance Committee, which over time mitigates the risk within a balanced portfolio as a whole. Reserves help us prepare for the risk of unseen emergencies or the need for funds and also enable us to plan for future asset purchases to help us deliver the charity's objects. The charity tends to utilise income from the portfolio; however, capital may only be utilised in certain circumstances.

As highlighted in this report, the cost of upkeep for the fabric and grounds of the Arthur Findley College is significant and to this end a fund to contribute towards the work required.

The fund currently stands at £7,020 (2022: nil).

Details of all funds can be found in Note 20 of the accounts.

The total value of reserves held on 31st December 2023 is £17,431,915 (2022: £16,952,326). Details of designated funds are included in note 20.

RESERVES POLICY

The SNU has numerous reserves within its balance sheet. Some of these reserves have restrictions placed upon them from external sources (Restricted Funds), usually where funds have been donated from a third party for use in a specific way. There are also other reserves which have been appropriated or earmarked for a specific purpose (unrestricted reserves).

The total level of funds held is £17,431 914 (2022: £16,952,326), of which £799,877 (2022: £764,106) is held as restricted funds and a further £10,829,072 (2022: £10,143,218) is held as designated funds. The capital and revaluation reserves total £3,087,174 (2022: ££3,354,174).

GENERAL FUNDS

General funds of £2,715,791 (2022: £2,690,828) are held.

The NEC consider that the amount of general funds held is sufficient to support the running costs of the charity, including the maintenance of its assets, in the event of any major disruption to its income streams. However, the Board is cognisant that the charity is heavily reliant on the income generated by the Arthur Findlay College. To this end the Trustees are exploring ways in which to diversify the charity’s income streams to further safeguard the future of both the SNU and Spiritualism.

Any identified additional income streams, when considered in conjunction with the One Union action plan and the wider operational needs of the charity, will form the basis of a formal reserves policy going forwards.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SUSPENSE FUND

From time-to-time SNU churches held in Sole Trust are closed and sold where it has not been possible to form a new committee to run the church. Once a Church property the assets from the Church are added to the Union’s suspense account, minus any property management fees, outstanding bills, legal fees etc.

The funds are then held in Suspense for a period of six years before they are moved to Aged Suspense. The six-year period commences from the formal date of the church closure as ratified by the National Executive Committee.

PRINCIPAL RISKS & UNCERTAINTIES

The Trustees review the risk management strategy twice yearly and has put into place systems and procedures to mitigate risks identified

The major risks the Trustees agree that the Charity face as of December 2023 are:

However, new Churches and in some cases existing Churches (depending on their Trust Deed) that are established within three-mile radius of the close Church, are entitled to apply to the Union for a grant from suspense funds within the six-year period. Once funds are moved into Aged Suspense the Union can apply them at its discretion for the furtherance of Spiritualism in a variety of ways.

Cost of living crisis

Grants towards utility costs have been made available to churches and the Trustees work to maximise income and reduce liability and expenditure where reasonable to do so.

Governance

During the accounting period, the Union has awarded grants to churches from Aged Suspense of £196,540 in the form of winter fuel grants £32,000 as well as to help with repairs and improvements to church buildings.

A new head of governance has been appointed to advise on Charity, Company and UK laws and governance requirements to ensure compliance.

The Union is conscious that awarding grants depletes the funds available in Aged Suspense, and that the only income into the fund is received when churches close, a situation that the Union works hard to avoid. During 2023 the Union bought a building through the Suspense fund to provide a home for a church in rented accommodation (see page 25 for further details). The rent paid by the church will feed back into the fund to provide an income stream, and the value of the building will appreciate over time benefitting the Suspense fund overall. It is hoped that in the future, this model can be used to assist other churches in need.

Pandemic

The trustees note that future health crisis may be possible Disaster recovery plans were implemented, stress tested and refined during COVID-19 and remain in place for future need.

Continuity

Additional staffing resources have been put into place to support the work of trustees and volunteers.

Membership declining

The Trustees have put into place initiatives such as a fixed term amnesty for returning members. Open week at the Arthur Findlay College took place in 2023 on an in-person basis and new initiatives continue to be refined and rolled out

Currently the suspense account holds funds from the sale of the following Church properties:

Walthamstow Lyceum Barrow Cirencester Rochester Square Wembley Solihull Peterborough Skelmersdale Leicester Battersea Aberdare Bristoll Soundwell Hayes 39 39 40

KEY PRIORITIES 2024/2025

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PRIORITY
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PLANNED ACTION

Promote the religion • Members survey on the Seven Principles and religious teachings of Spiritualism

PRIORITY PLANNED ACTION Promote Spiritualist • National Healing Day Healing • Refreshed Code of Conduct

PRIORITY

PLANNED ACTION

Further

Continue to update education courses

develop Spiritualist education

Build in safeguarding training for prospective award holders
National Ministerial training starts

PRIORITY

PLANNED ACTION

Design further training for churches
• Additional support for Church improvement grants
• Share good practice in the community • Develop volunteer strategy
Provide support and training for our Churches

PRIORITY

PLANNED ACTION

Increase Individual Membership

Continuation of exclusive IM online meetings to celebrate & engage members.
• Meeting with newly appointed DC IM Reps to share good practice
• Skills audit of IMs

PRIORITY PLANNED ACTION Raise the profile of • Review and replace the websites Spiritualism locally, • Consider standard format for Church nationally and Facebook sites internationally • Develop further online materials

PRIORITY

PLANNED ACTION

Ensure high • Continue to Implement Church safeguarding standards commitment of governance • Review and update internal financial controls • Appoint HR Manager •

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

ONE UNION ACTION PLAN UPDATE

It has been a very active year within our Religion. Following the lack of activity during the pandemic last year was a year of ‘firsts’, first in person AGM, open week, peace walk, and our churches opening their doors for their communities.

Key priorities achieved in 2023

Significant progress has already been made with delivering the priorities identified two years ago as part of the SWOT analysis and discussions with its members

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PRIORITY PROGRESS
Promote • Book club held every month
the religion
and religious • 2nd Spring Ministerial Congress held
teachings
of Spiritualism • Fellowship of the Ministry meeting started
• Successful Open Week
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PRIORITY PROGRESS
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Financial support for Churches offered Spotlight on Churches: Regular celebrating of achievements of Churches on social media Videos of key roles on website. E.g. Returns, Accounts and running AGMs

Provide support • and training for • our Churches • • •

• Safeguarding pack for Churches distributed • Church safeguarding commitment agreed • District Safeguarding Coordinators appointed from the Ministry

Increase in scale of church improvement grants distributed

JJ Morse award for District Councils

Electronic voting for District Councils

PRIORITY Increase • Individual • Membership

PROGRESS

On-line meetings established for IMs
• Facebook private page for IMs continued (currently 514 members)

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PRIORITY PROGRESS
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Promote Spiritualist Healing

PRIORITY

Further develop Spiritualist Education

2nd National meeting on healing held
• Healing code of conduct updated • Healing featured in peace Walk and AGM • Separate Healing Committee • New SH3 • Saturday Zoom Healing Workshops • Healing amnesty • Healing code of conduct updated

PROGRESS

Update of pathway to Ministry
• New M2 (old PCC) course produced with training and student handbooks.
• National training weekend for prospective Officiants held
DC and church weeks continue to be built into the programme at AFC
• Strategic manager appointed at AFC

PRIORITY PROGRESS Raise the profile • Successful warm bank strategy continued of Spiritualism to year 2 locally, nationally • Survey to identify methods for Supporting and internationally Overseas Members •

PRIORITY PROGRESS Ensure high • New Head of Governance appointed standards of • Service Agreement with Thirtyone:eight on governance safeguarding. •

Reviewed and updated Safeguarding policy Roll out of safeguarding training of the Ministry.
Appoint key staff such as a new Finance Manager and Human Resource Manager (should this go in Key priorities for 2024)

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

GOVERNANCE

The Spiritualists’ National Union (SNU) is a company limited by guarantee, governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association as amended 24th July 2021. It is registered as a religious charity with the Charity Commission (reg no 261898), the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (reg no SC041714) and with Company House (reg no 071661)

The SNU is committed to the principles of the Charity Commission’s Governance Code.

ORGANISATION

The Board of Trustees (the National Executive Committee) administers the charity. The Board meets seven times each year; all meetings were virtual, using the Zoom platform.

The structure of the Board is as follows:-

The Officers

The President , who acts as an ambassador for the Union and Principal to the Arthur Findlay College and the Barbanell Centre;

Two Vice-Presidents, one of whom chairs the Collegiate and General Purposes Committee, and the other who chairs the Ministers Administration Committee and is the National Deputy Safeguarding Coordinator;

The Financial Director, who chairs the Finance Committee, which has oversight of the Trust Property work of the Union and other finance-related matters.

Designated Directors

The Education & Exponents Director, who manages and oversees the work of the Education & Exponents Committee and SNUi;

The Communications Director, who manages and oversees the work of the Publicity & Promotions Committee and special projects.

Ordinary Directors

Three Ordinary Directors, each with a portfolio:-

Focus on Philosophy and Church Relations
Individual Membership
Diversity, Inclusion and the Year of the Environment

Council Director

The Council Director creates a two-way link between the Council and the NEC.

In attendance

The Head of Governance, who attends all meetings of the Board.

Sub-Committees

In addition, the National Executive Committee has designated a number of sub-committees.

The Council

Following a motion at last year’s AGM the Council now meets four times each year and acts as the advisory body to the National Executive Committee and a vital link between the Union nationally, the districts and the Churches.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24 45

APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES

The President and Vice-Presidents are elected in alternate years, the President and one Vice-President in one year, the other Vice-President in the alternate year, each serving for a term of two years. The election is by postal vote of eligible Church Representatives, Individual Members, Kindred Body Representatives and Pioneer Centre Representatives. The Financial Director is appointed biennially by the continuing or incoming President and Vice-Presidents as the case may be, in consultation with the outgoing President or Vice-Presidents, from among Individual Members who are full members of affiliated bodies and have been duly nominated for this office.

The Designated Directors are appointed annually by the continuing or incoming Officers of the Union, in consultation with the outgoing Officers, from among Individual Members who are full members of affiliated bodies and have been duly nominated for these offices. Ordinary Members are appointed annually by the National Executive Committee from among Individual Members who are full members of affiliated bodies.

TRUSTEE INDUCTION AND TRAINING

By the nature of the qualifications for office for election or appointment to the National Executive Committee any candidates will have some experience of working at both district and national level. Training and an induction procedure for trustees ensure that all new members of the National Executive Committee and the Council are aware of both the requirements and the responsibilities of holding office. The content of this training exercise will be kept under review to ensure that the directors of the company are apprised of relevant charity and company law, the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, committee procedures and decision-making processes and a review of the recent financial performance of the charity.

BRANCHES

The Union presently has two Branches: -

The Spiritualists’ Lyceum Union, with special responsibility for the education and training of the young, the Lyceum predates the Union and has a long and proud history of teaching the young within the movement.

SNU International (SNUi), made up of subscribing members, some of whom are also Individual Members of the Union. At the end of 2023 SNUi subscribing members stood at 1,033 (2022: 1,215). The Branch has a strong educational basis through the provision of teaching and tuition to members online. Membership is international and has already attracted support from around the world. SNUi helps address the requirement within the Union’s Articles to provide missionary work and thus spread the philosophy and teaching of SNU Spiritualism well beyond the UK.

Individual Membership is relatively accessible at £26.00 per annum There are also funds which may supply grants to individuals who cannot afford to pay this sum. Anyone aged 18 or over may become an Individual Member of the Union and there are currently 2,190 full individual members an increase from 1548 in 2022.

DISTRICT COUNCILS

Local affairs within the UK are delegated to fourteen district councils, whose objects are to further the objects of the Union within their areas. Each district council is run by a committee elected by the affiliated bodies and Individual Members within the district.

The Council Member to the National Executive Committee is elected annually by the members of the Council from among Councillors other than the Officers of the Union. All eligible members are circulated with invitations to nominate Trustees prior to the AGM, advising them of the positions to be filled and the names of the retiring Trustees. We now use our Church Relations Officer to oversee churches in support rather than assigning this work to a Trustee. When considering appointing Trustees, the National Executive Committee has regard to the requirement for any specialist skills needed within the different areas of the Union’s work. The Trustees are all volunteers, with the exception of the President, which is a paid role.

Procedures for nomination provide an outline job description and an estimate of the time commitment involved in fulfilling the role.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

MEMBERSHIP

There are seven classes of members as detailed in the Articles of Association, namely:-

PUBLIC BENEFIT

In carrying out its activities during the year, the Trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

(a) the accredited representatives of Branches;

(b) the accredited representatives of District Councils;

(d) Kindred Body Representatives;

(e) Pioneer Centre Representatives;

(f) Individual Members; (g) Affiliate Members.

The board conducts a skills audit each year to ensure that we have a balanced skill set on the NEC; this helps us to identify areas where additional training is required. Trustees are encouraged to attend appropriate external training events where these will facilitate the undertakings of their role. Additional external specialist training is sourced as is deemed necessary. The Union also provides its Trustees with an online resource to ensure that their knowledge of the Union is current and appropriate.

VOLUNTEERS

The Union is very involved in the community and is dependent on voluntary help to fulfil many of its key functions at all operational levels. The National Executive Committee, the NEC sub-committees, the Council and the district councils are all operated by volunteers, without whose dedication the Union would find it impossible to operate in all the areas it does.

To calculate the value of the contribution of several hundred people who give their time, energy and effort to the work of the Union freely throughout the country is very difficult and it would clearly run into many hundreds of thousands of pounds if their time had to be paid for at current commercial rates.

In addition to those who work within the Union, both at district and national level, many more hundreds of volunteers work tirelessly to run and maintain the national network of Churches and Centres throughout the country. The Union pays tribute to their dedication and hard work to further the philosophy of Spiritualism within their local community.

Spiritualist healing is open to all and is available at most of our 300 centres, donations can be given if desired. The Union runs a training program to develop spiritual healing mediums. Education courses are available to promote speakers and mediums. Weekly Church services are open to all. Our Churches and Centres provide comfort to those who have been bereaved and hire out rooms for use by public services, charities and other community groups. Our Ministry works within the community both to conduct official Spiritualist services but also in supporting prison and hospital chaplaincy and the well-being of individuals both within and without the movement.

Our commitment back in 2022 to providing Warm Spaces during winter for communities to access has proven popular is set to continue into 2024.

FUNDRAISING

The charity engages in fundraising activities with the general public in the form of accepting donations. The Trustees note the obligations of the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016 and the Code of Fundraising Practice issued by the Fundraising Regulator and report.

Third parties such as professional fundraisers or commercial participators are not used to assist with fundraising.
The charity received no complaints in this year regarding its fundraising practices.
We do not petition or make direct approaches for fundraising purposes and place no pressure on individuals, vulnerable or otherwise, in the course of or in connection with the fundraising for the charity. The main source of our donations comes from our healing activities and our visitors, and it's always made clear that donations are voluntary.
We monitor our fund-raising activities by keeping records of donations received and ensure safe money handling practices are in place to keep donations secure prior to banking.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

In preparing the Trustee report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year.

Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

State whether applicable UK

Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.

Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.

observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP FRS102

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee-Director Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustee are aware:

there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and
the Trustee-Directors have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

The Trustee-Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

By order of the National Executive Committee

Jackie Wright

Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

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51
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President of the Spiritualists’ National Union Redwoods Stansted Hall Stansted Essex CM24 8UD

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

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MEMBERS
CHURCHES
AFFILIATED ASSOCIATED
BODIES BODIES
PIONEER
DISTRICT
CENTRES
COUNCILS
COUNCIL
NATIONAL
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
LYCEUM
SNUi
UNION
THE
THE
ARTHUR
BARBANELL
FINDLAY
CENTRE
COLLEGE
ANNUAL REPORT 2022/23
53
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MANAGEMENT

Directors and Trustees serving during 2023

The directors of the charitable company (the charity) are its trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees.

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President Jackie Wright
Vice President Julia Almond
Vice President Anne Marie Dibben to 17.04.23
Marie Lisseman from 24.04.23
Financial Director Christine Bond to 13.03.23
James Underwood from 11.10.23
Exponents & Richard Cuthbert
Education Director
Council Member Jean Smart
Ordinary Member 1 Adam Berry
Ordinary Member 2 Patricia Redman from 09.12.23
Ordinary Member 3 Anne Marie Bond to 22.12.23
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SENIOR STAFF

Responsible for the day-to-day running of the charity.

Head of Governance Jane Mars General Manager (Administration) Rachael Loukes General Manager (Arthur Findlay College) Tanya Fern Smith General Manager (Barbanell Centre) Seamus Davies

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

AUDITORS

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION

Price Bailey LLP, Tennyson House, Cambridge Business Park, Cambridge, CB4 0WZ

REGISTERED OFFICE

Redwoods, Stansted Hall, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex CM24 8UD

BANKERS

Natwest Bank plc, Barclays Bank Lloyds Bank Lloyds Bank 7 North Street, 27/31 High Row 1 Legg Street Westminster Bishop’s Stortford, Darlington Chelmsford House Herts DL3 7QS CM1 1JS Swansea CM23 2TJ SA7 9HG

Close Brothers Group

10 Crown Place London EC2A 4FT

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Spiritualists' National Union (the 'charity') for the year ended 31 December 2023 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 31 December 2023 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended;
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

SOLICITORS

Anthony Collins Solicitors Keystone Law 134 Edmund Street 48 Chancery Lane Birmingham London B3 2ES WC2A 1JF

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

STOCKBROKERS

Brewin Dolphin, 9 Colmore Row Birmingham B3 2BJ

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (CONTINUED)

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and our Auditors' Report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual Report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (CONTINUED)

Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditors' Report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

the information given in the Trustees' Report including the Strategic Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.
the Trustees' Report and the Strategic Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees' Report including the Strategic Report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
We reviewed systems and procedures to identify potential areas of management override risk. In particular we agreed the financial statements to underlying records, and we carried out testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness.
We reviewed minutes of Trustee Board meetings.
We reviewed any correspondence with the Charity Commission and the procedures in place for the reporting of any incidents to the Trustee Board including serious incident reporting.
We reviewed the risk management processes and procedures in place including a review of the risk register.
We made enquiries of management and officers of the charitable company regarding laws and regulations applicable to the organisation and and discussed whether there had been any known breaches of laws and regulations in order to consider any possible further considerations or impact upon the charity.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of Trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Auditors' Report.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Trustees' Responsibilities Statement, the Trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (CONTINUED)

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditors' Report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and its members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Suzanne Goldsmith FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of

Price Bailey LLP

Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditors Tennyson House Cambridge Business Park Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB4 0WZ

Date: 19 August 202415 August 2024

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

Note
Income from:
Donations and legacies
2
Charitable activities
3
Other trading activities
4
Investments
5
Other income
6
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
7
Charitable activities
8
Total expenditure
Net income/(expenditure) before net
gains/(losses) on investments
Net gains/(losses) on investments
15
Net income/(expenditure)
Transfers between funds
20
Net movement in funds before other
recognised gains/(losses)
Other recognised gains/(losses):
(Losses)/gains on revaluation of fixed
assets
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Net movement in funds
Total funds carried forward

Unrestricted
funds
2023
Restricted
funds
2023
Total
funds
2023
Total
funds
2022
£
£
£
£
1,045,277
60
1,045,337
936,352
3,737,441
2,447
3,739,888
2,236,697
59,392
-
59,392
133,985
369,515
2,718
372,233
332,269
36,457
8
36,465
13,585
5,248,082
5,233
5,253,315
3,652,888
-
6,357
6,357
17,583
4,780,240
2,193
4,782,433
3,277,565
4,780,240
8,550
4,788,790
3,295,148
467,842
(3,317)
464,525
357,740
240,582
41,481
282,063
(801,381)
708,424
38,164
746,588
(443,641)
2,393
(2,393)
-
-
710,817
35,771
746,588
(443,641)
(267,000)
-
(267,000)
145,000
443,817
35,771
479,588
(298,641)
16,188,220
764,106
16,952,326
17,250,967
443,817
35,771
479,588
(298,641)
16,632,037
799,877
17,431,914
16,952,326

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

The notes on pages form part of these financial statements. 63 to 91 form part of these financial statements.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee) REGISTERED NUMBER: 00071661

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2023

Note
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
13
Investments
15
Investment property
14
Total fixed assets
Current assets
Stocks
16
Debtors
17
Investments
18
Cash at bank and in hand
Total current assets
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year
19
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
Total net assets
Charity funds
Restricted funds
20
Unrestricted funds
20
Total funds

2023
2022
£
£
4,961,866
4,949,028
8,584,062
8,575,701
3,018,000
3,285,000
16,563,928
16,809,729
56,620
67,516
163,894
146,070
683,992
-
1,036,631
806,580
1,941,137
1,020,166
(1,073,151)
(877,569)
867,986
142,597
17,431,914
16,952,326
17,431,914
16,952,326
799,877
764,106
16,632,037
16,188,220
17,431,914
16,952,326

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

Cash flows from operating activities Net cash used in operating activities Cash flows from investing activities Dividends, interests and rents from investments Interest received Purchase of tangible fixed assets Proceeds from sale of investments Purchase of investments Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year The notes on pages form part of these financial statements	2023 £ 391,256 287,826 77,248 (115,989) 1,074,969 (1,092,881) 231,173 622,429 838,525 1,460,954	2022 £ 387,661 269,786 62,480 (12,189) 1,128,057 (1,802,207) (354,073) 33,588 804,937 838,525

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on _______ and signed on their behalf by: 15 Aug 2024

Minister J Wright (Aug 15, 2024, 3:12pm) Mr J Underwood (Aug 13, 2024, 6:37pm) Minister J Wright Mr J Underwood President Financial Director The notes on pages form part of these financial statements. 63 to 91 form part of these financial statements.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

1. Accounting policies

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

1. Accounting policies (continued)

1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

1.5 Income

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and regulation 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

Spiritualists' National Union meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

The presentational and functional currency is Pound Sterling.

1.2 Accounting for branches

These financial statements fully incorporate the results of the following branches of the Spiritualists' National Union:

The Spiritualists' National Union Head Office The Arthur Findlay College The Fourteen District Councils of the Spiritualists' National Union The Suspense Investment Account Sundry Trust Funds Spiritualists' National Union International The Barbanell Centre- Stafford The Spiritualists’ Lyceum Union

1.3 Legal status

The charity is a company limited by guarantee, with no share capital and is incorporated in England and Wales (registration number 00071661). It has registered with the Charity Commission in both England and Wales (charity number 261898) and Scotland (charity number SCO41714). The registered office is Redwoods, Stansted Hallm Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, CM24 8UD.

In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to 50 pence per member of the charity. The membership comprises Church Representatives, Individual Members, Kindred Body Representatives and Affiliate Members, details of the numbers of total members are included in the Trustee's Report.

1.4 Going concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. Trustees have made the decision to invest some of the current assets over the years into listed investments and investment properties which return a better income. These can be sold should this become necessary. The Board has completed a comprehensive review and is confident of the SNU’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from the date of signing these accounts. As such, they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounts in the financial statements.

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the items of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Where income has related expenditure (as with fund raising or contract income), the income and related expenditure are reported gross in the Statement of Financial Activities.

Donations, grants and income from Church Affiliation fees and Trust Property Church fees are recognised when receivable. In the event that a donation is subject to fulfilling performance conditions before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income until either those conditions are met in full, or their fulfilment is wholly within the control of the charity is deferred and not recognised and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period. Income from Gift Aid tax reclaims is recognised for any donations with relevant Gift Aid certificates recognised in income for the year. Any amounts of Gift Aid not received by the year end are accounted for in income and accrued income in debtors.

For legacies, entitlement is taken on a case by case basis as the earlier of the date on which: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the charity that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor’s intention to make a distribution. If the legacy is in the form of an asset other than cash or an asset listed on a recognised stock exchange, recognition is subject to the value of the asset being able to be reliably measured and title to the asset has passed to the charity. Where legacies have been notified and the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

Income received in advance for a future fundraising event or for visitor fees received in advance of an event are deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.

Interest on deposit funds held is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity which is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due. This is normally upon notification by our investment advisor of the dividend yield of the investment portfolio. Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable

Sponsorship from events, fundraising and events registration fees are recognised in income when the event takes place. Trading income is recognised on point of sale for both donated and purchased goods.

Other income is recognised in the period in which it is receivable and to the extent the goods have been provided or on completion of the service.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

1. Accounting policies (continued)

1.6 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

Expenditure on raising funds includes all expenditure incurred by the Charity to raise funds for its charitable purposes and includes costs of all fundraising activities events and non-charitable trading.

Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Charity's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.

All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.

1.7 Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.

1.8 Gift Aid

Where the right to receive Gift Aid has been established, the amount receivable is recognised as investment income in the Statement of Financial Activities.

1.9 Taxation

The Charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the Charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

1.10 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets costing £2,500 or more are capitalised and recognised when future economic benefits are probable and the cost or value of the asset can be measured reliably.

Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

1. Accounting policies (continued)

1.10 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation (continued)

Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of tangible fixed assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives.

Depreciation is provided on the following bases:

Freehold property 2% reducing balance - Fixtures and fittings 10% - 33% straight line

1.11 Investment property

Investment properties are valued by the Trustees on an existing use open market value basis. Investment properties are not depreciated. The statement of financial activities includes the net gains and losses arising on the revaluation and disposals throughout the year.

1.12 Heritage assets

Heritage assets are defined as tangible property with historical, artistic, scientific, technological, geophysical or environmental qualities that are held and maintained principally for their contribution to knowledge and culture.

When it acquired the Arthur Findlay College, the Spiritualists’ National Union secured certain heritage assets at no cost, including museum exhibition items.

The items include books, photographs, furniture, drawings, ceramics and paintings as well as other miscellaneous items and cataloguing the Union’s collection is a continuing process.

None of the heritage assets are capitalised as there is no cost information available and valuations lack reliability.

The Trustees do not deem it practical to obtain a valuation of heritage assets held by the charity by donation due to the bespoke nature of such collections providing value to the Spiritualist community rather than to the wider market. In addition, the benefit to the user of the financial statements of obtaining such valuations is not deemed by the Trustees to outweigh the cost that would be incurred by the charity.

Where the cost of acquisition or market value is readily available to the charity such heritage assets should be recorded in fixed asset additions. Due to the nature of such collections the heritage asset may be deemed to have an indefinite life and therefore not be depreciated. Such assets are reviewed by the Museum Curator and the trustees for impairment during the preparation of the financial statements.

Expenditure that, in the view of the charity, is required to preserve or prevent further deterioration of individual collection and archive items should be recognised in the SOFA as it occurs.

The Spiritualists’ National Union acquires historic items and artefacts in accordance with a statement of principles which requires that:

The item must be of importance because of its historic interest.
Ownership by the SNU should benefit the wider charity.
The item will not be acquired unless the SNU is the most appropriate owner.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

1. Accounting policies (continued)

1.13 Investments

Fixed asset investments are a form of financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction cost and subsequently measured at fair value at the Balance Sheet date, unless the value cannot be measured reliably in which case it is measured at cost less impairment. Investment gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, are combined and presented as ‘Gains/(Losses) on investments’ in the Statement of Financial Activities.

1.14 Stocks

Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value after making due allowance for obsolete and slow-moving stocks. Cost includes all direct costs and an appropriate proportion of fixed and variable overheads.

1.15 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

1. Accounting policies (continued)

1.20 Operating leases

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

1.21 Pensions

The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the Charity to the fund in respect of the year.

1.22 Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

1.16 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

1.17 Liabilities and provisions

Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.

Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance Sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.

Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.

1.23 Volunteers

The value of the services provided by volunteers is not incorporated into these financial statements as it would be difficult to quantify. Further details are provided in the Trustee’s Report.

Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities as a finance cost.

1.18 Concessionary loans

The charity has taken advantage of section 34 of FRS102 to recognise loans to member churches as concessionary loans. As such the charity initially recognises and measures the loan at the amount to be repaid, with the carrying amount adjusted in subsequent years to reflect repayments and any accrued interest and adjusted if necessary for impairment.

1.19 Financial instruments

The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

2. Income from donations and legacies

Donations Income from closed churches Income from property held in suspense fund Donations Legacies Income from closed churches Income from charitable activities Affiliation Income Visitor Fees Healing Course notes and publications Other rental income	Unrestricted funds 2023 £ 54,927 953,050 37,300 1,045,277 Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 27,281 5,000 903,802 936,083 Unrestricted funds 2023 £ 61,629 3,293,330 38,541 256,479 87,462 3,737,441	Restricted funds 2023 £ 60 - - 60 Restricted funds 2022 £ 269 - - 269 Restricted funds 2023 £ - 2,277 170 - - 2,447	Total funds 2023 £ 54,987 953,050 37,300
			1,045,337
			Total funds 2022 £ 27,550 5,000 903,802
			936,352
			Total funds 2023 £ 61,629 3,295,607 38,711 256,479 87,462
			3,739,888

3. Income from charitable activities

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

3. Income from charitable activities (continued)

Affiliation Income Visitor Fees Healing Course notes and publications Other rental income	Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 73,756 1,921,346 36,839 133,717 69,149 2,234,807	Restricted funds 2022 £ - 1,414 476 - - 1,890	Total funds 2022 £ 73,756 1,922,760 37,315 133,717 69,149
			2,236,697

4. Income from other trading activities

Fundraising events Other rental income Membership subscriptions Commissions Fundraising events Other rental income Membership subscriptions Commissions Management fees	Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 6,188 21,914 82,597 22,679 480 133,858	Unrestricted funds 2023 £ 6,584 7,229 37,006 8,573 59,392 Restricted funds 2022 £ 127 - - - - 127	Total funds 2023 £ 6,584 7,229 37,006 8,573
			59,392
			Total funds 2022 £ 6,315 21,914 82,597 22,679 480
			133,985

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

4. Income from other trading activities (continued)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

6. Other incoming resources (continued)

(continued)

Excluded from 2023 membership income is deferred income of £45,670 (2022: NIL) in relation to future periods as shown in note 19.

5. Investment income

Listed investment income Investment property rents Bank interest received Listed investment income Investment property rents Bank interest received	Unrestricted funds 2023 £ 213,870 81,115 74,530 369,515 Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 193,383 76,405 53,526 323,314	Restricted funds 2023 £ - - 2,718 2,718 Restricted funds 2022 £ - - 8,954 8,954	Total funds 2023 £ 213,870 81,115 77,248
			372,233
			Total funds 2022 £ 193,383 76,405 62,480
			332,268

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
	funds	funds	funds
	2022	2022	2022
	£	£	£
Miscellaneous Income	13,538	48	13,586

7. Expenditure on raising funds

Costs of raising voluntary income

Direct Finance and legal Human resources Information technology Premises General office expenses Committee expenses Other Governance	Restricted funds 2023 £ 4,236 243 777 129 268 481 30 105 88 6,357	Total funds 2023 £ 4,236 243 777 129 268 481 30 105 88
		6,357

6. Other incoming resources

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
	funds	funds	funds
	2023	2023	2023
	£	£	£
Miscellaneous Income	36,457	8	36,465

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

7. Expenditure on raising funds (continued)

Direct Finance and legal Human resources Information technology Premises General office expenses Committee expenses Other Governance	Restricted funds 2022 £ 10,864 833 2,353 454 1,148 1,122 120 462 227 17,583	Total funds 2022 £ 10,864 833 2,353 454 1,148 1,122 120 462 227
		17,583

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities

Affiliation Educational programme Publications	Activities undertaken directly 2023 £ 330,654 3,234,782 143,085 3,708,521	Support costs 2023 £ 165,438 836,885 71,589 1,073,912	Total funds 2023 £ 496,092 4,071,667 214,674
			4,782,433

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)

Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)
Affiliation Educational programme Publications	Activities undertaken directly 2022 £ 124,544 2,179,215 123,585 2,427,344	Support costs 2022 £ 77,059 696,697 76,465 850,221	Total funds 2022 £ 201,603 2,875,912 200,050
			3,277,565

Analysis of support costs

Finance and legal Human resources Information technology Premises General office expenses Committee expenses Other Governance	Affiliation 2023 £ 18,826 60,315 10,036 20,760 37,356 2,293 8,174 7,678 165,438	Educational programme 2023 £ 95,230 305,109 50,768 105,016 188,970 11,600 41,351 38,841 836,885	Publications 2023 £ 8,146 26,100 4,343 8,983 16,165 992 3,537 3,323 71,589	Total funds 2023 £ 122,202 391,524 65,147 134,759 242,491 14,885 53,062 49,842
				1,073,912

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)

Analysis of support costs (continued)

Finance and legal Human resources Information technology Premises General office expenses Committee expenses Other Governance	Affiliation 2022 £ 9,554 26,972 5,200 13,165 12,858 1,407 5,299 2,604 77,059	Educational programme 2022 £ 86,381 243,853 47,015 119,024 116,250 12,722 47,905 23,547 696,697	Publications 2022 £ 9,481 26,764 5,160 13,063 12,759 1,396 5,258 2,584 76,465	Total funds 2022 £ 105,416 297,589 57,375 145,252 141,867 15,525 58,462 28,735
				850,221

All support costs are allocated to charitable activites and fundraising costs based upon the proportion of time spent on each activity.

9. Auditors' remuneration

Auditors' remuneration
	2023 £	2022 £
Fees payable to the Charity's auditor in respect of:
Audit services	23,765	22,250
Accountancy	3,565	3,000

10. Net expenditure/income

Net expenditure/income is stated after charging:

Depreciation Auditors' remuneration Operating lease rentals Loss on the sale of tangible fixed assets	2023 £ 103,151 27,330 27,483 - 157,964	2022 £ 108,019 25,250 28,855 6,660
		168,784

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

11. Staff costs

2023 £ Wages and salaries 1,772,780 Social security costs 152,527 Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes 34,376 1,959,683 The average number of persons employed by the Charity during the year was as follows: 2023 No. Administration 12 Educational programme 61 73 The average headcount expressed as full-time equivalents was: 2023 No. Administration 10 Educational programme 48 58	2022 £ 1,296,884 112,090 23,709

	1,432,683
	2022 No. 10 53
	63
	2022 No. 8 37

	45

The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £60,000 was:

		2023 No.	2022 No.
In the band £60,001	- £70,000	-	1

The charity considers its key management personnel to comprise the Trustees and the senior management team.

The total employee benefits of 6 key management personnel (2022: 5 key management personnel) were £300,362 (2022: £259,738). Included within total key personnel remuneration is employers national insurance of £30,332 (2022: £27,284) and employers pension of £4,738 (2022: £3,439). The number of key management personnel has increased from 5 to to 6 this year, due to one member of KMP being on sick leave and another member of staff joining KMP to cover the role.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

12. Trustees' remuneration and expenses

During the year, one or more Trustees has been paid remuneration or has received other benefits from an employment with the Charity.The value of Trustees' remuneration and other benefits was as follows:

an employment with the C	harity.The value of Trustees' remuneration a	nd other benefits was a	s follows:
		2023	2022
		£	£
J Wright	Remuneration	50,000	21,337
D Bruton	Remuneration	-	27,284

During the year ended 31st December 2023, expenses totalling £15,462 were reimbursed or paid directly to 9 Trustees (2022 - £15,640 to 14 Trustees). These related to travel and subsistence for attendance at Trustee meetings.

13. Tangible fixed assets

Cost or valuation At 1 January 2023 Additions Disposals At 31st December 2023 Depreciation At 1 January 2023 Charge for the year On disposals At 31st December 2023 Net book value At 31st December 2023 At 31st December 2022	Freehold property £ 5,808,025 104,891 - 5,912,916 910,306 87,001 - 997,307 4,915,609 4,897,719	Fixtures and fittings £ 644,160 11,098 (10,098) 645,160 592,851 16,150 (10,098) 598,903 46,257 51,309	Total £ 6,452,185 115,989 (10,098)
			6,558,076
			1,503,157 103,151 (10,098)
			1,596,210
			4,961,866
			4,949,028

Included within freehold land and buildings is land with a net book value of £605,094 (2022: £605,094) which is not depreciated. The land has been partly financed by a donation from the J V Trust. Should the land be sold, the charity will be liable, under the terms of the donation, to repay the donation.

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

14. Investment property

Freehold investment property £

Valuation

At 1 January 2023 Revaluation At 31st December 2023	3,285,000 (267,000) 3,018,000

The investment properties at Mountfield Road and Stanhope Avenue were valued internally by carrying out an online desktop valuation. The valuation utilised land registry information alongside previous sales data in line with each properties characteristics.The original cost of these properties was £NIL as the properties were bequeathed to the charity.

The value of the Bristol Belmont property value was considered by Trustees to be the same as the previous year at a value of £800,000. This is a rental property which has been donated to the Closed Churches Suspense Fund, which is a designated fund.

All investment properties are held in the UK.

15. Fixed asset investments

Listed investments £

Cost or valuation

At 1 January 2023 Additions Disposals Gain on investments Cash movement At 31 December 2023	8,235,562 1,141,429 (1,123,540) 282,063 48,548 8,584,062

All investments are carried at their fair value. Investments in equities and fixed interest securities are all traded in quoted public markets, primarily the London Stock Exchange. The basis of fair value for quoted investments is equivalent to the market value, using the bid price. Investment sales and purchases are recognised at the date of trade cost (that is their transaction value).

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

Investments are allotted to each range as follows:

Fixed interest Equities Cash deposits Other Stocks Closing Stock	2023 £ 1,742,514 3,179,553 2,276,647 1,725,510 8,924,224 2023 £ 56,620	2022 £ 3,370,884 3,126,999 2,077,819 -
		8,575,702
		2022 £ 67,516

16. Stocks

Closing stock represents stock for education activities (including college catering) of £37,750 (2022: £45,513) and stock in relation to affiliation activities of £18,870 (2022: £22,003).

17. Debtors

Due within one year Trade debtors Other debtors Prepayments and accrued income	2023 £ 17,291 95,965 50,638 163,894	2022 £ 17,808 71,154 57,108

		146,070

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

18. Current asset investments Short term deposit accounts 19. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Trade creditors Other taxation and social security Other creditors Contract Liability Accruals and deferred income Deferred Income Deferred income at 1 January 2023 Resources deferred during the year Amounts released from previous periods	2023 £ 683,992 2023 £ 86,023 43,000 23,622 352,423 568,083 1,073,151 2023 £ 171,398 482,615 (171,398) 482,615	2022 £ - 2022 £ 86,992 28,953 27,239 383,223 351,162 877,569 2022 £ 343,057 171,398 (343,057) 171,398

Deferred income mainly relates to fees for courses at the Arthur Findlay College which are received in advance from students for courses taking place in the next year. In addition £44,821 relates to Individual membership and SNUi subscriptions paid during in accounting period but which relate to the following year.

Included within other debtors are concessionary loans made to member churches in furtherance of the SNU’s charitable objectives. Movement on the loans during the year was as follows:

As at 31 January New loans Loan repayments As at 31 December	2023 £ 48,092 53,830 (20,117) 81,805	2022 £ 39,083 53,271 (44,262)
		48,092

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

20. Statement of funds

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

Statement of funds - current year

Unrestricted funds Designated funds Fixed asset fund The Suspense Investment Account Tree Garden Fund Horse Fund Science Equipment Fund The AFC Foundation Fund Land Adjacent to Stansted Hall The AFC Tutor Training Spiritualists' Lyceum Union Window restoration AFC Building restoration Presidents fund General funds General funds Capital Reserve Revaluation reserve Total Unrestricted funds	Balance at 1st January 2023 £ 4,949,028 4,693,576 13,786 1,165 8,499 15,466 220,000 3,154 211,569 26,975 - - 10,143,218 2,690,828 173,197 3,180,977 6,045,002 16,188,220	Income £ - 1,019,475 2,424 308 - - - - 9,308 - 7,020 6,485 1,045,020 4,203,062 - - 4,203,062 5,248,082	Expenditure £ - (326,414) (3,763) - - - - - (2,574) - - - (332,751) (4,447,489) - - (4,447,489) (4,780,240)	Transfers in/out £ - (176,637) - - - - - - - - - - (176,637) 179,030 - - 179,030 2,393	Gains/ (Losses) £ - 136,867 - - - - - - 13,355 - - - 150,222 90,360 - (267,000) (176,640) (26,418)	Balance at 31st December 2023 £ 4,949,028 5,346,867 12,447 1,473 8,499 15,466 220,000 3,154 231,658 26,975 7,020 6,485
						10,829,072
						2,715,791 173,197 2,913,977 5,802,965 16,632,037

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

20. Statement of funds (continued) Restricted funds The Foundation Fund 603,357 The Gladys Mallaburn Trust 6,667 The Ministers Bursary 3,239 The Ministers Development 4,993 The Education Bursary 339 The SNU Healing 53,820 Halifax St. Paul's 10,149 The SNU Prize 14,334 Spirit of Youth 2,089 The Education Fund 2,575 The Exponents Fund 2,523 The Glynn Edwards Memorial 400 AFC - Furniture and Paintings 155 Other restricted 9,752 The Healing Fund 31,160 The Brooks Education 16,587 The District Council Fund of Benevolence 940 The District Council Foundation 794 The Equipment Fund 133 Healing Bursary 100 764,106 Total of funds 16,952,326	103 - 44 68 5 2,342 - 193 - - - - - - 200 2,247 31 - - -	(3,160) - - - - - - (525) - - - - - (285) (1,711) (2,761) (108) - - - (8,550) (4,788,790)	- - - - - - - - - - - - - (3,000) 627 - - - (20) - (2,393) -	43,731 (2,250) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 41,481 15,063	644,031 4,417 3,283 5,061 344 56,162 10,149 14,002 2,089 2,575 2,523 400 155 6,467 30,276 16,073 863 794 113 100

					799,877
764,106	5,233			41,481

16,952,326	5,253,315	(4,788,790)	-	15,063	17,431,914

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

20. Statement of funds (continued)

Statement of funds - prior year

Unrestricted funds Designated funds Fixed asset fund The Suspense Investment Account Tree Garden Fund Horse Fund Science Equipment Fund The AFC Foundation Fund Land Adjacent to Stansted Hall The AFC Tutor Training Spiritualists' Lyceum Union Window restoration General funds General funds Capital Reserve Total Unrestricted funds		Balance at 1st January 2022 £ 5,051,517 4,284,617 17,738 1,145 8,499 15,466 220,000 3,154 221,526 36,281 9,859,943 3,345,005 3,180,977 6,525,982 16,385,925		Income £ - 909,660 640 20 - - - - 9,900 - 920,220 2,721,384 - 2,721,384 3,641,604		Expenditure £ - (110,468) (4,592) - - - - - (2,660) (9,306) (127,026) (3,164,142) - (3,164,142) (3,291,168)		Transfers in/out £ (102,489) (128,671) - - - - - - (1,200) - (232,360) 231,729 - 231,729 (631)		Gains/ (Losses) £ - (261,562) - - - - - - (15,997) - (277,559) (269,951) - (269,951) (547,510)		Balance at 31st December 2022 £ 4,949,028 4,693,576 13,786 1,165 8,499 15,466 220,000 3,154 211,569 26,975
												10,143,218
												2,864,025 3,180,977 6,045,002 16,188,220

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

20. Statement of funds (continued)

Restricted funds

The Foundation Fund The Gladys Mallaburn Trust The Ministers Bursary The Ministers Development The Education Bursary The SNU Healing Halifax St. Paul's The SNU Prize Spirit of Youth The Education Fund The Exponents Fund The Glynn Edwards Memorial AFC - Furniture and Paintings Other restricted The Healing Fund The Brooks Education The District Council Fund of Benevolence The District Council Foundation The Equipment Fund Healing Bursary Total of funds	714,240 4,598 2,513 4,958 486 45,132 10,078 14,482 2,089 2,575 2,523 400 155 9,761 30,520 18,711 765 794 161 100 865,041 17,250,966	68 - 20 35 3 8,688 71 152 - - - - - - 1,611 432 209 - - - 11,289 3,652,893	- - - - - - - (300) - - - - - (9) (2,379) (1,264) (34) - - - (3,986) (3,295,154)	(13) - 706 - (150) - - - - - - - - - 1,408 (1,292) - - (28) - 631 -	(110,938) 2,069 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (108,869) (656,379)	603,357 6,667 3,239 4,993 339 53,820 10,149 14,334 2,089 2,575 2,523 400 155 9,752 31,160 16,587 940 794 133 100
						764,106
						16,952,326

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

20. Statement of funds (continued)

UNRESTRICTED FUNDS

General Funds

The General Fund is the primary fund used to record all resource inflows and outflows that are not associated with any other designated or restricted funds. The activities being paid for through the general fund constitute the core administrative and operational tasks of the charity.

Revaluation Reserve

The Revaluation Reserve is a non-cash reserve and as such cannot be used to provide services. It contains unrealised gains arising from increases in the value of the SNU’s property assets. The balance is reduced when such assets are:

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

20. Statement of funds (continued)

Tree Fund

Fund used to plant, replace and maintain trees in the grounds of the Arthur Findlay College.

The Arthur Findlay College Foundation Fund

This fund was created at the Annual General Meeting in 2000. Its purpose is:

to provide financial support for the college, as appropriate
to be collateral for a loan for the college

The funds are invested, and any interest is applied to the cost centre where all college income and expenditure are collated

Science Equipment Fund

Revalued downwards or impaired and the gains are lost.
Used in the provision of services and the gains are consumed through depreciation.
Disposed of and the gains are realised.

DESIGNATED FUNDS

Designated funds are those where the SNU have set aside specific amounts as reserves for future policy purposes, or to cover contingencies. These reserves are created by either appropriating amounts out of the General Reserve, or by adherence to restrictions laid out in the governing documents of the charity. When expenditure, to be financed from a reserve, is incurred it is charged to the appropriate cost centre within the Income and Expenditure account. The reserve is then appropriated back into the General Fund balance.

The Fixed Asset Fund

The fixed asset fund represents the net book value of fixed assets on the balance sheet. Fixed Assets include all land and buildings in addition to all fixtures, fittings and equipment held by the Union.

The Closed Churches Suspense Fund

The funds from the sale of churches which have closed, and where the SNU was sole trustee and certain other funds are allocated to the Suspense Investment Account. New churches or existing churches within a set mileage of the closed church, can apply to utilise the funds in the form of a grant. If the funds are not utilised within six years, they are transferred to the aged suspense

Land adjacent to Stansted Hall

Land partly financed by a donation from the J V Trust. Should the land be sold, the charity may be liable to repay the donation and has designated funds of £220,000.

The Spiritualists’ Lyceum Union

The Lyceum Union pre-dates the formation of the Spiritualists’ National Union and was incorporated into the Union as a branch in 1956. It holds its own funds which are reflected in the main Union accounts, and these are to be applied for the purposes of promoting the aims and objectives and work of the Lyceum

Fund established to provide equipment and meet sundry costs to support the scientific research undertaken by the SNU.

The Arthur Findlay College Tutor Training Fund

The purpose of this fund is to support the training needs of the tutors at the Arthur Findlay College. Training to be a tutor at the AFC is a long process of study and assessment and the fund is aimed at supporting students who have the potential and skills to teach at the AFC but perhaps lack the financial resources to embark upon the pathway to teaching at the AFC and Barbanell Centre. Applications to this fund will be considered by the Collegiate Committee on a case by case basis and the Committees decision will be final and binding on any application for a grant.

Horse Fund

Fund established to support the upkeep and wellbeing of horses within the grounds of the Arthur Findlay College.

AF Building Restoration Fund

The purpose of the fund is to support the cost of preserving the Arthur Findlay College and grounds.

Presidents Fund

The fund was established to assist SNU churches cover the expense of urgent, essential, and mandatory items they need. In the event that the Presidents Fund makes no grants for a two-year period, any remaining funds should be transferred to the SNU Aged Suspense Account.

RESTRICTED FUNDS

Restricted funds are created through donations or from other income received for a specific purpose which have restrictions as to their use. They may be capital funds, where the assets are required to be invested, or retained for actual use, rather than expended. The Trustees have the discretion to utilise the funds for the fund’s relevant objectives.

The Foundation Fund

Window Restoration Fund

Donation made to fund the installation and maintenance of windows within the Arthur Findlay College.

The Spiritualists’ National Union Foundation Fund was set up with the object of providing long-term income for the Spiritualists’ National Union. The capital may be used as security or collateral for loans to the Union but shall not be applied for any other purpose without the authority of a resolution passed at two general meetings of members held not less than six months apart. The interest may be applied for

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

20. Statement of funds (continued)

any purpose benefitting the Union as the National Executive Committee may decide. At its inception in the time of President Gordon Higginson a target of £1m was established for the fund, whilst we still have not achieved this target the funds continues to help fund the day to day operations of the Union.

The SNU Healing Fund

The Healing Fund was set up for the purpose of propagating Spiritualist healing. It is now managed under the direction of the Education and Exponents Committee and can be applied to support the promotion of strong healing practice within the Union and to support the training and development of Spiritualist Healing mediums.

The SNU Prize Fund

The SNU Prize Fund is an amalgamation of several smaller funds which were set up to fund prizes awarded to members on an annual basis usually at the AGM.

Halifax St. Paul's Fund

The Halifax St. Paul’s Fund was set up under a Scheme by the Charity Commissioners for the income to be distributed at the discretion of the National Executive Committee to Churches within ten miles of Halifax and/or the capital to be used in Halifax.

The Ministers Development Fund

The Ministers Development Fund was set up for the purpose of continuing the development and promotion of ministers and has been provided by two charitable organisations, namely the JV Trust and the Winifred Gandine-Stanton Trust, for the purpose of training those entering the ministry to ensure the highest standards are attained by those working in this field of the Union’s work.

The Gladys Mallaburn Trust

The fund was established in 1978 on receipt of a bequest from Gladys Mallaburn which stipulated that the funds should be invested in dated stock and any capital increase at the redemption dates being added to and forming part of the trust for reinvestment. After taking advice from our professional advisors the capital has been placed in our main portfolio and invested in a range of quoted stocks, but ring fenced in the name of the fund. In addition, the bequest provides that any interest on investments be utilised towards the general administration expenses of the head office of the Union and this is applied in line with the requirements of the trust.

The Education Fund

Education Funds are established at District Council level to fund the training of exponents in both speaking and the demonstration of mediumship together with any necessary training in administration which facilitates the efficient functioning of the Churches and the District Councils.

The Exponents Fund

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

20. Statement of funds (continued)

The Ministers Bursary Fund

This fund was established to assist candidates in Ministerial training with the costs of such necessary training in cases of hardship which is precluding them from taking the necessary courses to allow the award of Officiant or Minister of the Union. In the past it has either been funded by donation from Charitable Trusts which operate within the wider movement or by specific fundraising activity. The fund also benefits from the annual donation of the proceeds of the sales of the book 21st Century view of the Seven Principles of Spiritualism written by Minister Barry Oates. Any income held within the fund is applied purely at the discretion of The Ministers Administration Committee.

The Education Bursary Fund

This fund was established to assist candidates in training, usually those taking Union courses with the costs of such necessary training in cases of hardship. In the past it has either been funded by donation from Charitable Trusts which operate within the wider movement or by specific fundraising activity. Any income held within the fund is applied purely at the discretion of the Education and Exponents Committee.

AFC Furniture & Paintings Restoration

The fund is used to assist with the costs of maintaining and restoring furniture and paintings within the Arthur Findlay College.

The Restricted Funds of the Union's 14 District Councils:

The Healing Fund

Healing Funds are held at District Council level to fund the assessment and training of healers to approved status and to ensure that assessors are trained to a level sufficient to conduct the necessary assessments at both district and national levels.

21. Analysis of net assets between funds

Tangible fixed assets Investments Net current assets	Unrestricted funds 2023 £ 3,018,000 2,290,160 536,929 5,845,089	Restricted funds 2023 £ - 706,107 93,770 799,877	Designated funds 2023 £ 4,949,028 5,927,065 (50,096) 10,825,997	Total funds 2023 £ 7,967,028 8,923,332 580,603
				17,470,963

These funds are held within District Council Accounts to assist in the training of exponents at a district level. They are funded from year to year either by income from educational activity or specific fundraising activity and any income is applied purely for the purposes of training within the District.

Spirit of Youth

The Spirit of Youth was set up as a fund for use by the Spirit of Youth Committee.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

Tangible fixed assets Investments Net current assets	Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 3,285,000 2,715,567 44,436 6,045,003	Restricted funds 2022 £ - 665,945 98,162 764,107	Designated funds 2022 £ 4,949,028 5,194,190 - 10,143,218	Total funds 2022 £ 8,234,028 8,575,702 142,598
				16,952,328

22. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income/expenditure for the year (as per Statement of Financial Activities) Adjustments for: Depreciation charges Interest received Loss/(Gain) on investments Dividends, interests and rents from investments Loss on the sale of fixed assets Decrease in stocks Increase in debtors Increase in creditors Net cash provided by operating activities	2023 £ 746,588 103,151 (77,248) (282,063) (287,826) - 10,896 (16,694) 155,403 352,207	2022 £ (443,641)
		108,019 (62,480) 801,381 (269,786) 6,660 23,260 (3,722) 227,970

		387,661

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

24. Analysis of changes in net debt

At 1st January 2023 £ Cash at bank and in hand 806,580 Debt due within 1 year (383,223) Liquid investments - 423,357 Capital commitments Contracted for but not provided in these financial statements Capital projects	Cash flows £ 230,051 30,800 683,992 944,843 2023 £ 8,100	At 31st December 2023 £ 1,036,631 (352,423) 683,992
		1,368,200
		2022 £ 39,512

25. Capital commitments

26. Pension commitments

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. Contributions payable by the charity amounted to £34,376 (2022: £24,141). At the year end, contributions totalling £8,254 (2022: £7,104) remained outstanding and are included in other creditors.

27. Operating lease commitments

At 31st December 2023 the Charity had commitments to make future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases as follows:

23. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents

Cash in hand Short term cash investments Total cash and cash equivalents	2023 £ 1,380,461 80,493 1,460,954	2022 £ 806,580 31,945

		838,525

non-cancellable operating leases as follows:
Not later than 1 year Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years	2023 £ 27,288 42,594 69,882	2022 £ 27,483 69,883

		97,366

28. Members' liability

Each member of the charitable company undertakes to contribute to the assets of the company in the event of it being wound up while he/she is a member, or within one year after he/she ceases to be a member, such amount as may be required, not exceeding 50 pence for the debts and liabilities contracted before he/she ceases to be a member.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023

29. Related party transactions

In accordance with section 4(v)(vi) of the Memorandum of Association dated 19 July 2015, during the year the following Trustees’ received fees from the charity in respect of medium fees, training fees and sale of goods.

J Wright S-Gibson Foy AM Bond R Cuthebert A Berry J Almond M Lisseman	2023 £ 7,213 - 7,445 575 - 149 885 16,267	2022 £ 10,554 14,507 5,726 310 1,627 10 -

		32,734

Minister J Wright received payments from the charity of £50,000 (2022: £21,337) for providing services in line with her role as President of the Union.

Minister J Wright also received £7,213 (2022: £10,554) in respect of medium fees of £6,485 and sale of goods of £728. Medium fees of £6,485 were donated back to the Presidents Fund in Note 19.

The partner of J Underwood was reimbursed expenses in relation to mileage totalling £194 (2022: NIL)

There were no other related party transactions (2022: NIL).

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

The Spiritualists’ National Union

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Fund of
Benevolence
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Financial Statement for the year ending 31st December 2023

Visit the Fund of Benevolence page to donate online www.snu.org.uk

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

ANNUAL REPORT 2022/23

BANK RECONCtLIATION AS AT INCOME & EXPENDITURE 31" DEcEIBER 2023 31. DECEMBER 2023 2022 723.00 14547.60 149.IK> 720.IK) 107.05 COME 2023 136.tM) 10436.tM) 2(KJ. 900.(K) 2022 70.00 1408.30 7.65 500.IM) 11845.64 2071.00 120.tK) 140.tK) 64.30 IIK).IK) 35.1)0 165.76 EXPEI¥DITURE FlOWerChoColat¢S Cjifts of Mo Admin [.enSeS DC sit SCW 2023 SCW AFC SCW Mediums M Bish() Trnvel l..Walkcr Travel D Brnion Trdvcl Gift Vouchers Bat]k Validdtion Jubilee Mu 2023 25.00 0.00 11.45 0.00 11312.49 2806.10 110.00 150.00 0.00 100.00 0.00 0.00 Balance Brou t Fon¥ard 1491.70 Senior CitiZaL8 Week Plus: Recei Transfer 13467.IM) 3000.00 Private Sitiin sile Breakfast 17958.70 Less Purchases 15820.04 £2138.66 3019.15 SNU Trust Jnterest 3201.59 Balance at bank 31.12.23 LESS Unpresented Cheques 2138.66 F.XC Expenditure over Income 2738.15 Excess Income over enditure £2138.66 358.55 £19265.80 £14873.59 £19265.80 £14873.59 CASH ANALYSIS SENIOR CITIZEN WEEK 2023 Balance brought forward 0.00 Plus recei Raffle Sittings 200.00 900.00 l i(K).(K Less urchases Tutors 974.00 974.(M) £126.1)0 Banked £1?6.00 on 5 June 20?3 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24 95

Spiritualists National Union Redwoods, Stansted Hall, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex CM24 8UD

01279 816363 | www.snu.org.uk | snu@snu.org.uk

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