## **The Spiritualists’ National Union** Trustees Annual Report 2024
**www.snu.org.uk**
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Minister Jackie Wright President
be difficult for some - particularly those who are comfortable and familiar with things being done in a particular way. But part of this change means setting a higher standard, and ensuring that our policies and codes of conduct are enforced consistently. Our religion deserves the highest standards of conduct. We have further modernised by bringing in professionals and expanding our staff this year. This new professional body means that our volunteers are better able to focus on progressing our religion and not just administer the Union’s functions. 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for our Union. As always, I thank the fantastic churches, districts, members and volunteers who are planning and carrying out exciting demonstrations of Spiritualist healing. There have been many wonderful examples to see! After many decades of neglect, we are seeing the science of Spiritualism making a resurgence under the stewardship of Penny Hayward OSNU and her committee. Penny has engaged with many Universities, and we have a growing network of academics interested in our religion. Thank you to all members of our Union for all that you do. The NEC and I are working hard to safeguard our Union’s future not just for the next year, but for the future. It is the duty of us all to hand our religion to the generations to come, so that the light of Spiritualism continues to illuminate the path for others.
Minister Jackie Wright President of The Spiritualists’ National Union
as a result of careful financial planning and making decisions that recognises the importance of churches, we have been able to convert temporary emergency loans - that have hampered committees in progressing - into grants, to alleviate the burden of debt. This isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet. The decisions made are having a real impact on our movement. I am proud that we have been able to support Horden Church with the refurbishment of their church, who only two years ago believed that their only option was to demolish the church. Our heritage matters, and by protecting our history we can build towards our future. Saddleworth is another of our historic churches that was believed could not be saved. It has been. It is now a thriving church, completely refurbished and ready to serve its community. We are pleased to share some case studies in this report of these and other Churches that we have been able to help. We are very aware that decisions we make as an NEC have real life impact and I never forget this. That’s why we are saving churches and investing in them. We are working hard to make membership of the SNU worthwhile. Not just because of the awards and education that we offer, but because you are joining a family of Spiritualists. The NEC are always seeking opportunities to engage with communities and spread the word about what we believe. One of the real joys and privileges I have as President is being able to visit churches and centres in every district, which I continue to do. We do not want there to be any sense of sepa- ration, of ‘us and them’ within the Union. I have held consultative meetings with members, church committees and district representatives. We will continue to engage with everyone to ensure we are delivering the absolute best for our Union. Change is never easy. George Bernard Shaw summed it up perfectly: “Progress is impossible without change.” We cannot hold up progress any longer, and have embarked on an ambitious programme of change. I appreciate that this can
the restructuring of our Union to better serve members and Churches. As a Union, we regularly hear the struggles and challenges our Churches, Districts and Centres face. I know this from visiting many myself. To help, we have agreed numerous grants for churches totalling £758,123, more details of which can be found on page 76. In addition, and
Moving Forward I begin my second term as President of the Spiritualists’ National Union in a very different position to how I began my first term. It has been a great pleasure to see our Union strengthened in many areas, and work underway to improve others. I reaffirm my commitment to you all that our Union will be stronger as we move forward, together. Our religion continues to grow. We continue with important changes that need to be made to ensure our religion thrives. This includes
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of the
The Trustees are pleased to present their report, together with the audited financial statements of the charity, for the year ending 31st December 2024. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice second edition 2019 and FRS 102.
Report trustees for the year ended 31st December 2024
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2024
Annual Report
Trustees
|
Union
National
Objectives
Spiritualists’
Aims & 5
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Further develop Spiritualist Education and Training. Education and Training – see Page 36 Healing – see Page 17 Ministry Development – see Page 20 Arthur Findlay College & Barbanell Centre – see Page 21 Engagement with Members Diversity and Inclusion – see Page 32 Annual General Meeting 2024 – see Page 33 Raise the profile of Spiritualism locally, nationally and internationally International – see Page 36 Open Week 2024 – see Page 37
Promote the Religion and Religious teachings of Spiritualism based on the Seven Principles. Communications and Publicity – see Page 13 Peace Walk 2024 – see Page 15 Science and Spiritualism – see Page 16 Provide support and training for our churches. Working with our Churches – see Page 25 Working with our Volunteers to support Churches – see Page 26 Developing our Church Properties – see Page 27 Church Case Studies – see Page 28 Safeguarding – see Page 31
Union fit for the future.
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Continue to review opportunities to increase our membership, and improve Finalise and roll-out new websites for the Union and the Arthur Findlay College. Review and modernise the Union’s Policies and Bye-laws to ensure they
Engage with members, and increase individual membership In 2025 we will: our membership offering. Develop better communication between members and member representatives. Work with our overseas ambassador to better engage with our overseas members and increase the international membership. Raise the profile of Spiritualism locally, nationally and internationally In 2025 we will: Continue to develop and share the digital package for all Churches to promote themselves on social media. Explore and develop improved avenues for communication. Encourage every Church to share best practice with other Churches. Ensure high standards of Governance In 2025 we will: are fit for purpose and fit for the future. Modernise the Union’s internal financial controls. Develop our Safeguarding provision, and support Churches, to ensure that everybody coming into contact with us is protected.
Develop new digital channels to better engage with Continue to update and refresh our educational courses and training. Continue to support Churches financially.
Promote the Religion and Religious teachings of Spiritualism based on the Seven Principles In 2025 we will: churches and communities. Promote National Healing Year to spread understanding of Spiritualist healing to the wider public. Engage with community events locally and nationally. Further develop Spiritualist Education & Training In 2025 we will: Make training more accessible for our overseas members. Develop the Ministry to be more engaged with the public. Provide support and training for our churches In 2025 we will: Make training more accessible for our overseas members. Develop and roll-out Training Hubs in every District. Encourage every Church to share best practice with other Churches.
Developing Our Strategy In 2025 How the Union’s strategic priorities will be developed and delivered in 2025:
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“There was a record attendance at the Peace Walk at the National Memorial Arboretum in July 2024 and it was considered a huge success”.
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Union, including a variety of Inter-Faith celebra- tions in Manchester and Gateshead alongside Black History Month services at the Dorothy Hudson Spiritualist Centre. Major Events The communications team played an important role in the promotion of two of the Union’s major events in the calendar year. There was a record attendance at the Peace Walk at the National Memorial Arboretum in July 2024 and it was considered a huge success.
Communications & Publicity 2024 was another busy and exciting year for the Union and its communications. Rhyl and District Spiritualist Centre The year began with Rhyl and District Spiritualist Centre moving into its new premises, a glorious converted former Methodist Church in Rhuddlan. Spotlight Initiative With churches continuing to be at the heart of what the Union is and does, the ‘Spotlight’ initiative provided in-depth articles on activities within the Union community providing inspiration for all. On social media, the more regular, smaller scale spotlighting continued to shine a light on the good practice, examples and good news from across the
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32
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Safeguarding
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Spiritualists’ National Union | Trustees Annual Report 2024
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“Visitor feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and attendance figures for 2024 showed an impressive jump year-on-year, too - with over 600 more visitors”.
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Open Week 2024 The Arthur Findlay College’s annual Open Week in May saw a packed programme of workshops, services, readings as much more, as a truly international audience flocked to Stansted Hall for this showcase of Spiritualism. Taking place over the course of four days across the May bank holiday, the AFC’s Open Week is a fantastic way of introducing SNU Spiritualism, its principles and teachings to newcomers. But so too does it provide a diverse collection of thought-provoking, investigative workshops and seminars for veterans, too. And, as is conventional for the world-renowned centre of learning and development, visitors came from all over the globe to attend! Visitor feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and attendance figures for 2024 showed an impressive jump year-on-year, too - with over 600 more visitors attending when compared to the already-busy 2023 event.
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Total
Change
£1,008,192
-£5,042
Publications
Raising Funds £51,501
£452,593
Educational Programme
Affiliation £509,140
£2,000,000 £1,000,000 £500,000 £400,000 £300,000 £200,000 £100,000 £50,000 £0 - £10,000
Total expenditure increased by £1,008,192 in the year, the following chart shows the key movements: Changes in expenditure year-on-year Changes in Expenditure year-on-year
Other Income £36,465
£372,233
Investments
£5,253,315
Donations £1,045,337
Other Trading £59,392
Charitable Activities £3,739,888
2023
£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
Other Income £38,862
£413,372
Investments
£5,540,514 Donations £618,415
Other Trading £112,081
Charitable Activities £4,357,784
2024
The charity generates income in various ways; donations, membership fees and our education programme is supplemented by income from property as well as dividends from our investment portfolios. Income from our charitable activities has risen to £4,357,784 (2023: £3,739,888) thanks, in part, to the increase in students attending the Arthur Findlay College. Online content continues to be offered to all members and includes services of worship, education courses, healing, readings and training, as part of a varied programme. Donations and legacies were received during the year of £618,415 (2023: £1,045,337), including a legacy of £250,000 from Mrs Beryl Illstone, a long-standing member of the Union. The charity is extremely grateful for the very generous donation. Small donations accounted for £107,659 (2023: £54,987), many thanks to those members who contributed in this way - every donation, no matter how small, is helpful! Investment income increased during 2024 to £413,372 (2023: £372,233) as the charity benefited from increased bank interest rates. The dividend income received by the Union across all portfolios increased by 7.5%, providing an income of £230,982 (2023: £213,870) as the portfolio shifted towards absolute return and fixed interest holdings, to take advantage of higher interest rates. Graphic showing increase/decrease in income 2024/2023 £0
£4,000,000 £3,000,000 £2,000,000 £1,000,000 £500,000 £400,000 £300,000 £200,000 £100,000 £50,000
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onal Union
Nati
Spiritualists’
the
of
By order of the National Executive Committee Jackie Wright President The Coach House, Stansted Hall, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, CM24 8UD
Trustees’ Responsibilities In Relation to the Financial Statements In preparing the Trustee report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and
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||**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.||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|�
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.||**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.|
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|**Opinion**||We have audited the financial statements of Spiritualists' National Union (the 'charity') for the year ended 31|||December 2024 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 2024 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.||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.|||||||||||
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|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**REGISTERED NUMBER: 00071661**||**BALANCE SHEET**|**AS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2024**||2024
2023|Note
£
£|**Fixed assets**|Tangible assets
13
4,948,639
4,961,866|Investments
15
7,573,111
8,584,062|Investment property
14
3,044,818
3,018,000|Investment property
14
3,044,818
3,018,000||**Total fixed assets**
15,566,568
16,563,928|**Current assets**|Stocks
16
59,266
56,620
Debtors
17
454,280
163,894|Stocks
16
59,266
56,620
Debtors
17
454,280
163,894|Stocks
16
59,266
56,620
Debtors
17
454,280
163,894|Investments
18
412,872
683,992|Cash at bank and in hand
1,748,804
1,036,631|||**Total current assets**
2,675,222
1,941,137|Creditors: amounts falling due within one|year
19
(687,141)
(1,073,151)|year
19
(687,141)
(1,073,151)|||**Net current assets**
1,988,081
867,986|||**Total assets less current liabilities**
17,554,649
17,431,914|||**Total net assets**
17,554,649
17,431,914||||**Charity funds**|Restricted funds
20
1,134,581
799,877|Unrestricted funds
20
16,420,068
16,632,037|**Total funds**
17,554,649
17,431,914||||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 and signed on their behalf by:|||**Minister J Wright**
**Mr J Underwood**|President
Financial Director|Date:
16 July 2025
Date: 16 July 2025|The notes on pages form part of these financial statements.
������������������������������������������������������|The notes on pages form part of these financial statements.
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|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**||**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**||Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total|funds
funds
funds
funds|2024
2024
2024
2023|Note
£
£
£
£|**Income from:**|Donations and legacies
2
259,445
358,970
618,415
1,045,337|Charitable activities
3
4,355,751
2,033
4,357,784
3,739,888||Other trading activities
4
112,081
-
112,081
59,392|Investments
5
410,938
2,434
413,372
372,233|Other income
6
38,862
-
38,862
36,465|||**Total income**
5,177,077
363,437
5,540,514
5,253,315|**Expenditure on:**|Raising funds
7
-
57,858
57,858
6,357|Charitable activities
8
5,729,920
9,204
5,739,124
4,782,433|||**Total expenditure**
5,729,920
67,062
5,796,982
4,788,790|||**Net (expenditure)/income before net**||**gains on investments**
(552,843)
296,375
(256,468)
464,525|Net gains on investments
15
340,761
38,442
379,203
282,063|||**Net (expenditure)/income**
(212,082)
334,817
122,735
746,588||Transfers between funds
20
113
(113)
-
-||**Net movement in funds before other**||**recognised gains/(losses)**
(211,969)
334,704
122,735
746,588|**Other recognised gains/(losses):**|Losses on revaluation of fixed assets
-
-
-
(267,000)|**Net movement in funds**
(211,969)
334,704
122,735
479,588||||**Reconciliation of funds:**|Total funds brought forward
16,632,037
799,877
17,431,914
16,952,326|Net movement in funds
(211,969)
334,704
122,735
479,588|**Total funds carried forward**
16,420,068
1,134,581
17,554,649
17,431,914||The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.|The notes on pages form part of these financial statements.
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|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Accounting policies**|**Accounting policies**|**1.1**
**Basis of preparation of financial statements**||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|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.|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 Arthur Findlay College|The Arthur Findlay College|The Fourteen District Councils of the Spiritualists' National Union|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 The Coach House, Stansted Hall, 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.|
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|||||2023|£|||391,256|||||287,826|77,248|(115,989)|1,366,583|(1,092,881)|522,787||914,043|806,580|1,720,623||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|||||2024|£|||(1,261,394)|||||307,287|106,085|(101,079)|1,539,885|(149,731)|1,702,447||441,053|1,720,623|2,161,676||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|||**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 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
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|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Income from donations and legacies**|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total|funds
funds
funds|2024
2024
2024|£
£
£|Donations
105,660
4,550
110,210|Donations
105,660
4,550
110,210|Legacies
-
250,000
250,000|Income from closed churches
104,164
-
104,164|Income from property held in suspense fund
49,621
-
49,621|Income from the Fund of Benevolence
-
104,420
104,420||259,445
358,970
618,415|||The income for the Fund of Benevolence is being shown as a consequence of consolidating the Fund of|The income for the Fund of Benevolence is being shown as a consequence of consolidating the Fund of|Benevolence accounts into the Spiritualists' National Union financial statements.|Benevolence accounts into the Spiritualists' National Union financial statements.|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total|funds
funds
funds|2023
2023
2023|£
£
£|Donations
54,927
60
54,987|Income from closed churches
953,050
-
953,050|Income from property held in suspense fund
37,300
-
37,300|||1,045,277
60
1,045,337||**Income from charitable activities**|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total|funds
funds
funds|2024
2024
2024|£
£
£|Affiliation Income
57,148
-
57,148|Visitor Fees
3,912,500
1,345
3,913,845|Healing
40,576
688
41,264|Course notes and publications
272,894
-
272,894|Other rental income
72,633
-
72,633|4,355,751
2,033
4,357,784||
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|||||**2.**||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||**3.**||||||||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**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.|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.|Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.||**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.||||||||||||||||
||||||Total|funds|2024|£|230,982|82,617||99,773|||413,372|||Total|Total|Total|funds|2023|£|213,870|81,115||77,248|||372,233||||||Total|funds|funds|2024|£|£|£|38,862|||||Total|funds|2023|£||36,465|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||Restricted|funds|2024|£|-|-||2,434|||2,434|||Restricted|||funds|2023|£|-|-||2,718|||2,718||||||Unrestricted|funds||2024|£|||38,862|||||Restricted|funds|2023|£||8|||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Investment income**|Unrestricted|funds|2024|£|Listed investment income
230,982|Investment property rents
82,617||Bank interest received
97,339|||410,938|||Unrestricted|||funds|2023|£|Listed investment income
213,870|Investment property rents
81,115||Bank interest received
74,530|||369,515||||**Other incoming resources**|||||||||Miscellaneous Income|||||Unrestricted|funds|2023|£||Miscellaneous Income
36,457|||||
|||||**5.**||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||**6.**||||||||||||||||||||||||
||||||Total|funds|2023|£|61,629|3,295,607||38,711|256,479||87,462|||3,739,888|||||||||Total
funds|2024||£||5,843|18,375||73,499|14,364|||112,081||||Total||funds|2023|£|||6,584|7,229|37,006|8,573|||59,392||
||||||Restricted|funds|2023|£|-|2,277||170|-||-|||2,447|||||||||Unrestricted
funds|2024||£||5,843|18,375||73,499|14,364|||112,081||||Unrestricted||funds|2023|£|||6,584|7,229|37,006|8,573|||59,392||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Income from charitable activities (continued)**|Unrestricted|funds|2023|£|Affiliation Income
61,629|Visitor Fees
3,293,330||Healing
38,541|Course notes and publications
256,479||Other rental income
87,462|||3,737,441||||**Income from other trading activities**||||||||||Fundraising events|Other rental income||Membership subscriptions|Commissions||||||||||||||Fundraising events|Other rental income|Membership subscriptions|Commissions|||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**||**Analysis of expenditure by activities**||Activities|undertaken
Support
Total|directly
2024
costs
2024
funds
2024|directly
2024
costs
2024
funds
2024|£
£
£||Affiliation
820,657
184,575
1,005,232|Educational programme
3,584,742
939,518
4,524,260
Publications
129,766
79,866
209,632|Educational programme
3,584,742
939,518
4,524,260
Publications
129,766
79,866
209,632||4,535,165
1,203,959
5,739,124||||||Activities|undertaken
Support
Total|directly
2023
costs
2023
funds
2023|£
£
£||Affiliation
330,654
165,438
496,092|Affiliation
330,654
165,438
496,092|Affiliation
330,654
165,438
496,092|Educational programme
3,234,782
836,885
4,071,667|Educational programme
3,234,782
836,885
4,071,667|Publications
143,085
71,589
214,674||3,708,521
1,073,912
4,782,433||In 2024 the expenditure on charitable activities was £5,739,124 (2023: £4,782,433) of which|£5,729,920 (2023: £4,780,240) was expenditure from unrestricted funds and £9,204 (2023: £2,193)
was expenditure from restricted funds. Included in the total of restricted expenditure is £1,420 which|£5,729,920 (2023: £4,780,240) was expenditure from unrestricted funds and £9,204 (2023: £2,193)
was expenditure from restricted funds. Included in the total of restricted expenditure is £1,420 which|relates to the Fund of Benevolence.|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**8.**||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
||||||||||Restricted
Total|funds
funds|2024
2024|£
£||55,448
55,448|352
352|14
14|731
731|163
163|||331
331|473
473|32
32|177
177|137
137||57,858
57,858||||||Restricted
Total|funds
funds|2023
2023
£
£||4,236
4,236|243
243||777
777|129
129|268
268|481
481|30
30|105
105|88
88|6,357
6,357||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Expenditure on raising funds**||**Costs of raising voluntary income**||||||||Direct|Finance and legal|Human resources|Staff costs|Information technology|||Premises|General office expenses|Committee expenses|Other|Governance||||||||||||Direct|Finance and legal|Human resources||Information technology|Premises|General office expenses|Committee expenses|Other|Governance|||
||||||||||2023|£||103,151|27,330|27,483|||157,964|||||2023||£|1,772,780
152,527|34,376|||1,959,683|||||2023
No.|12|61|73|73|||||2023|No.|10|48||58||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|||**Net expenditure/income**|Net expenditure/income is stated after charging:||2024|£||Depreciation
113,992|Auditors' remuneration
29,950|Operating lease rentals
27,093|||171,035||||**Staff costs**|2024||£|Wages and salaries
1,936,496
Social security costs
161,887|Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes
34,298|||2,132,681|||The average number of persons employed by the Charity during the year was as follows:||2024
No.|Administration
13|Educational programme
66|79|||||The average headcount expressed as full-time equivalents was:|2024|No.|Administration
7|Educational programme
33||40||||
|||||||**10.**|||||||||||||||**11.**|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Analysis of support costs**|||Educational
Total|Affiliation
programme
Publications
funds|2024
2024
2024
2024|£
£
£
£|Finance and legal
26,948
137,171
11,661
175,780|Human resources
57,053
290,407
24,685
372,145|Information technology
12,475
63,501
5,398
81,374|Premises
25,320
128,886
10,956
165,162|General office expenses
36,208
184,303
15,668
236,179||Committee expenses
2,482
12,633
1,074
16,189||Other
13,571
69,078
5,872
88,521|Governance
10,518
53,539
4,552
68,609||184,575
939,518
79,866
1,203,959|||Affiliation
Educational
programme
Publications
Total
funds|2023
2023
2023
2023|£
£
£
£||Finance and legal
18,826
95,230
8,146
122,202|Human resources
60,315
305,109
26,100
391,524||Information technology
10,036
50,768
4,343
65,147|Premises
20,760
105,016
8,983
134,759|General office expenses
37,356
188,970
16,165
242,491
Committee expenses
2,293
11,600
992
14,885|Other
8,174
41,351
3,537
53,062|Governance
7,678
38,841
3,323
49,842||165,438
836,885
71,589
1,073,912||||All support costs are allocated to charitable activites and fundraising costs based upon the proportion of|time spent on each activity.||**Auditors' remuneration**|2024
2023|£
£
Fees payable to the Charity's auditor in respect of:|||Audit services
26,055
23,765|Accountancy
3,895
3,565|
|||||||Total|£|||6,558,076|101,079|(8,675)||6,650,480|||1,596,210|113,992|(8,361)|||1,701,841|||4,948,639||4,961,866|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||Fixtures and|fittings|£|||645,160|47,273|(8,675)||683,758|||598,903|26,909|(8,361)|||617,451|||66,307||46,257|
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**||Freehold|property|£|||5,912,916|53,806|-||5,966,722|||997,307|87,083|-|||1,084,390|||4,882,332||4,915,609|
|||||**Tangible fixed assets**|||||**Cost or valuation**|At 1 January 2024|Additions|Disposals||At 31st December 2024|**Depreciation**||At 1 January 2024|Charge for the year|On disposals|||At 31st December 2024|**Net book value**||At 31st December 2024||At 31st December 2023|
|||||**13.**||||||||||||||||||||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Staff costs (continued)**|No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.|||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 (2023: 6 key management personnel) were|£256,058 (2023: £300,362). Included within total key personnel remuneration is employers national|insurance of £23,031 (2023: £30,332) and employers pension of £4,302 (2023: £4,738).|The number of key management personnel has stayed consistent with the prior year, with one member of|KMP leaving and another member of staff joining KMP to replace the role.|**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:|2024
2023|£
£||J Wright
Remuneration
50,000
50,000|During the year ended 31st December 2024, expenses totalling £22,159 were reimbursed or paid directly|to 10 Trustees (2023 - £15,462 to 9 Trustees). These related to travel and subsistence for attendance at|Trustee meetings.|||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|Listed|investments|£|**Cost or valuation**|At 1 January 2023
8,235,562|Additions
1,141,429|Disposals
(1,123,540)|Gain on investment
282,063
Cash movement
48,548|Gain on investment
282,063
Cash movement
48,548|Gain on investment
282,063
Cash movement
48,548|At 31 December 2023
8,584,062|At 31 December 2023
8,584,062|At 31 December 2023
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|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|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).|recognised at the date of trade cost (that is their transaction value).|All investments were received either as a bequest to the union or transferred on closure.||Investments are allotted to each range as follows:|2024
2023|£
£|Fixed interest
1,701,159
1,742,514|Equities
3,612,519
3,179,553|Cash deposits
603,816
1,938,485|Cash deposits
603,816
1,938,485|Other
1,655,617
1,725,510|7,573,111
8,586,062|||The investments at cost for 2024 was £6,331,804 (2023: £6,322,388).||**Stocks**||2024
2023
£
£|Closing Stock
59,266
56,620|||Closing stock represents stock for education activities (including college catering) of £42,734 (2023:|Closing stock represents stock for education activities (including college catering) of £42,734 (2023:|Closing stock represents stock for education activities (including college catering) of £42,734 (2023:|£37,750) and stock in relation to affiliation activities of £16,532 (2023: £18,870).|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||**16.**||||||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**||**Investment property**||Freehold|investment
property|£|**Valuation**||At 1 January 2024
3,018,000|Revaluation
26,818|||At 31st December 2024
3,044,818||||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.|The latest professional valuation for Bristol Belmont took place in 2021, where the properties were valued
at £800,000. All other investment properties were professionally valued within the year from £2,218,000 to
£2,244,818 and showed a revaluation movement of £26,818.||All investment properties are held in the UK.|||**Fixed asset investments**||Listed
investments|£||**Cost or valuation**|At 1 January 2024
8,511,394|Additions
149,731|Disposals
(668,244)|Gain on investments
379,203|Cash movement
(798,973)
At 31 December 2024
7,573,111|||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|2024
2023|£
£|**Deferred Income**|Deferred income at 1 January 2024
482,615
171,398|Resources deferred during the year
487,144
482,615|Amounts released from previous periods
(482,615)
(171,398)|||487,144
482,615||||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 £29,204 relates to Individual
membership and SNUi subscriptions paid during in accounting period but which relate to the following|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 £29,204 relates to Individual
membership and SNUi subscriptions paid during in accounting period but which relate to the following|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 £29,204 relates to Individual
membership and SNUi subscriptions paid during in accounting period but which relate to the following|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 £29,204 relates to Individual
membership and SNUi subscriptions paid during in accounting period but which relate to the following|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 £29,204 relates to Individual
membership and SNUi subscriptions paid during in accounting period but which relate to the following|year (2023: £44,821).||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**||**Debtors**||2024
2023|£
£|**Due within one year**|Trade debtors
11,796
17,291||Other debtors
391,728
95,965|Prepayments and accrued income
50,756
50,638|||||454,280
163,894|||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:|2024
2023|£
£|As at 31 January
81,805
48,092|New loans
66,485
53,830|Loan repayments
(15,716)
(20,117)|**As at 31 December**
132,574
81,805||**Current asset investments**|2024
2023|£
£|Short term deposit accounts
412,872
683,992||**Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**|2024
2023|£
£|Trade creditors
108,708
86,023|Other taxation and social security
25,790
43,000|Other creditors
25,432
23,622|Contract Liability
-
352,423|Accruals and deferred income
527,211
568,083|687,141
1,073,151||
||||||**17.**|||||||||||||||||||||||||**18.**|||||**19.**||||||||||
||||||Balance at|31st|December|2024|£|||||679,012||4,603|57,898|-|13,570|2,089||400||-|29,988||17,033|14,012|6,290|-|||889||794|100|||201,030|106,873||1,134,581|||17,554,649|17,554,649||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||||Gains/|(Losses)|£|||||38,256||186|-|-|-|-||-||-|-||-|-|-|-|||-||-|-|||-|-||38,442|||379,203|||||
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Statement of funds (continued)**||Balance at|1st January
Transfers|2024
Income
Expenditure
in/out|£
£
£
£|**Restricted funds**||The Foundation||Fund
644,031
187
(3,462)
-|The Gladys|Mallaburn Trust
4,417
-
-
-|The SNU Healing
56,162
1,736
-
-|Halifax St. Paul's
10,149
363
(10,512)
-|The SNU Prize
14,002
346
(778)
-|Spirit of Youth
2,089
-
-
-|The Glynn Edwards|Memorial
400
-
-
-|AFC - Furniture and|Paintings
155
-
(155)
-|The Healing Fund
30,276
688
(976)
-|The Brooks|Education
16,073
1,293
(333)
-|Bursary funds
13,786
226
-
-|Other restricted
6,467
51
(228)
-
The Equipment
Fund
113
-
-
(113)||The District Council|Fund of|Benevolence
863
254
(228)
-|The District Council|Foundation
794
-
-
-|Healing Bursary
100
-
-
-||SNU Head Office -|Bequest
-
250,000
(48,970)
-|Fund of
Benevolence
-
108,293
(1,420)
-||799,877
363,437
(67,062)
(113)|||**Total of funds**
17,431,914
5,540,514
(5,796,982)
-|||||
|||||**20.**||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
||||||||Balance at|31st|December|2024|£|||||4,948,639||4,758,792|12,313|-||5,515||15,466||220,000||3,154|260,313|26,975||5,032|17,442||10,273,641|||||3,059,253|173,197|2,913,977||6,146,427|||||16,420,068|
||||||||||Gains/|(Losses)|£|||||-||224,141|-|-||-||-||-||-|20,662|-||-|-||244,803|||||95,958|-|-||95,958|||||340,761|
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Statement of funds**|**Statement of funds - current year**|||Balance at|1st January
Transfers|2024
Income
Expenditure
in/out|£
£
£
£||**Unrestricted funds**||**Designated funds**|Fixed asset fund
4,949,028
-
-
(389)|The Suspense|Investment Account
5,346,867
190,187
(840,795)
(161,608)|Tree Garden Fund
12,447
2,872
(3,006)
-|Horse Fund
1,473
-
(1,473)
-|Science Equipment|Fund
8,499
-
(792)
(2,192)|The AFC Foundation|Fund
15,466
-
-
-|Land Adjacent to|Stansted Hall
220,000
-
-
-|The AFC Tutor|Training
3,154
-
-
-|Spiritualists' Lyceum
Union
231,658
9,656
(1,663)
-|Window restoration
26,975
-
-
-|AFC Building|restoration
7,020
25,157
(27,145)
-|Presidents fund
6,485
9,296
(2,939)
4,600||10,829,072
237,168
(877,813)
(159,589)||||**General funds**|General funds
2,715,791
4,939,909
(4,852,107)
159,702|Capital Reserve
173,197
-
-
-|Revaluation reserve
2,913,977
-
-
-||5,802,965
4,939,909
(4,852,107)
159,702||**Total Unrestricted**|||**funds**
16,632,037
5,177,077
(5,729,920)
113|
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**20.**
**Statement of funds (continued)**|**Statement of funds - prior year (continued)**|Balance at|Balance at
31st|1st January
Transfers
Gains/
December|2023
Income
Expenditure
in/out
(Losses)
2023|£
£
£
£
£
£|**Total**|**Total**|**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|**funds**
16,188,220
5,248,082
(4,780,240)
2,393
(26,418)
16,632,037|||**Restricted funds**||The Foundation|Fund
603,357
103
(3,160)
-
43,731
644,031|The Gladys|Mallaburn Trust
6,667
-
-
-
(2,250)
4,417|The SNU Healing
3,239
44
-
-
-
3,283|Halifax St. Paul's
4,993
68
-
-
-
5,061|The SNU Prize
339
5
-
-
-
344|Spirit of Youth
53,820
2,342
-
-
-
56,162|The Glynn Edwards
Memorial
10,149
-
-
-
-
10,149|The Glynn Edwards
Memorial
10,149
-
-
-
-
10,149|AFC - Furniture and|Paintings
14,334
193
(525)
-
-
14,002|The Healing Fund
2,089
-
-
-
-
2,089
The Brooks|Education
2,575
-
-
-
-
2,575|Bursary funds
2,523
-
-
-
-
2,523|Other restricted
400
-
-
-
-
400|The Equipment Fund
155
-
-
-
-
155|The District Council|Fund of
Benevolence
9,752
-
(285)
(3,000)
-
6,467|Fund of
Benevolence
9,752
-
(285)
(3,000)
-
6,467|Fund of
Benevolence
9,752
-
(285)
(3,000)
-
6,467|The District Council|The District Council|Foundation
31,160
200
(1,711)
627
-
30,276|Healing Bursary
16,587
2,247
(2,761)
-
-
16,073|SNU Head Office -|Bequest
940
31
(108)
-
-
863|Fund of|Benevolence
794
-
-
-
-
794|The Equipment Fund
133
-
-
(20)
-
113|Healing Bursary
100
-
-
-
-
100|764,106
5,233
(8,550)
(2,393)
41,481
799,877|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||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||
|||||||||Gains/|(Losses)|£||||||||-|||136,867|-|-||-||-||-||-|13,355||-|-|-||||150,222|||||90,360|-||(267,000)||(176,640)||
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Statement of funds (continued)**|**Statement of funds - prior year**||Balance at|1st January
Transfers|2023
Income
Expenditure
in/out|£
£
£
£|**Unrestricted**|**funds**|||**Designated**|**funds**||Fixed asset fund
4,949,028
-
-
-|The Suspense|Investment|Account
4,693,576
1,019,475
(326,414)
(176,637)|Tree Garden Fund
13,786
2,424
(3,763)
-|Horse Fund
1,165
308
-
-|Science|Equipment Fund
8,499
-
-
-|The AFC|Foundation Fund
15,466
-
-
-|Land Adjacent to|Stansted Hall
220,000
-
-
-|The AFC Tutor|Training
3,154
-
-
-|Spiritualists'
Lyceum Union
211,569
9,308
(2,574)
-|Window|restoration
26,975
-
-
-
AFC Building
restoration
-
7,020
-
-||Presidents fund
-
6,485
-
-||||10,143,218
1,045,020
(332,751)
(176,637)||||**General funds**|General funds
2,690,828
4,203,062
(4,447,489)
179,030|Capital Reserve
173,197
-
-
-|Revaluation|reserve
3,180,977
-
-
-||6,045,002
4,203,062
(4,447,489)
179,030||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**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|General Funds
The General Fund is the primary fund used to record all resource inflows and outflows that are not|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:|• Revalued downwards or impaired and the gains are lost.|• Used in the provision of services and the gains are consumed through depreciation.|• 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|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 made a provision 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|Window Restoration Fund|Donation made to fund the installation and maintenance of windows within the Arthur Findlay College.|Tree and Garden Fund|Fund used to plant, replace and maintain trees and the grounds of the Arthur Findlay College.|Fund used to plant, replace and maintain trees and the grounds of the Arthur Findlay College.|Fund used to plant, replace and maintain trees and 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|Spiritualists’ National Union | Trustees Annual Report 2024|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**20.**|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|||||||17,431,914|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|||||||15,063|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Statement of funds (continued)**||**Total of funds**
16,952,326
5,253,315
(4,788,790)
-||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Spiritualists’ National Union | Trustees Annual Report 2024|
|||||Total|funds|2023|£|7,967,028|8,923,332|580,603|||17,470,963|||||2023|£|746,588|||103,151|(77,248)|(282,063)|(287,826)|-|10,896|(17,824)|195,582|-|||391,256|||||||2023
£||1,036,631|683,992|1,720,623||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|Unrestricted
Restricted
Designated|funds
funds
funds|2023
2023
2023|£
£
£|Tangible fixed assets
3,018,000
-
4,949,028|Investments
2,290,160
706,107
5,927,065|Net current assets/(liabilities)
536,929
93,770
(50,096)|||5,845,089
799,877
10,825,997|||**Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities**||2024|£|Net income for the period (as per Statement of Financial Activities)
122,735||**Adjustments for:**|Depreciation charges
113,992|Interest received
(106,085)|Loss/(Gain) on investments
(379,203)|Dividends, interests and rents from investments
(307,287)|Loss on disposal of fixed assets
314|Decrease/(increase) in stocks
(2,646)|Increase in debtors
(290,386)|Increase/(decrease) in creditors
(386,010)|Loss/(Gain) on investment property
(26,818)|||**Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities**
(1,261,394)||||||**Analysis of cash and cash equivalents**|2024
£||Cash in hand
1,748,804|Short term cash investments
412,872|**Total cash and cash equivalents**
2,161,676||
|||||||||||||||||**23.**||||||||||||||||||||||||**24.**|||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Statement of funds (continued)**||The Glynn Edwards Memorial Fund||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 Fund of Benevolence|The fund was established to provide support and assistance for Spiritualists who find themselves in need.|||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.||**Linked Charity**|The Fund of Benevolence (FOB) is a linked charity that in previous years has been inserted into the end of|the SNU financial statements. This year it has been discussed with the Trustees and agreed that the|funds in relation to the FOB are to be disclosed within these financial statements with clear identification
on the impact they have on the final SNU results.||Within the year, The FOB has had income received of £108,293, of which £104,420 was included in the|opening balance. The FOB had expenditure of £1,420 as highlighted within note 20 above.||**Analysis of net assets between funds**||Unrestricted
Restricted
Designated
Total|funds
funds
funds
funds||2024
2024
2024
2024|£
£
£
£|||Tangible fixed assets
3,044,818
-
4,948,639
7,993,457|Investments
4,032,336
740,488
3,213,159
7,985,983|Net current assets/(liabilities)
(1,114,487)
59,276
2,507,685
1,452,474|5,962,667
799,764
10,669,483
17,431,914||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**||**Related party transactions**|**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.|sale of goods.||2024
2023|£
£|J Wright
7,665
7,213
AM Bond
-
7,445|J Wright
7,665
7,213
AM Bond
-
7,445||R Cuthbert
1,427
575|A Berry
1,184
-|J Almond
-
149|M Lisseman
5,993
885|||16,269
16,267|||Minister J Wright received payments from the charity of £50,000 (2023: £50,000) for providing services in|Minister J Wright received payments from the charity of £50,000 (2023: £50,000) for providing services in|Minister J Wright received payments from the charity of £50,000 (2023: £50,000) for providing services in|line with her role as President of the Union.|Minister J Wright received £7,665 (2023: £7,213) in respect of mediums fees of £6,956 and sale of goods|of £709 (2023:£728). Medium fees of £6,956 were donated back to the Presidents Fund in Note 20.||The partner of J Underwood was reimbursed expenses in relation to mileage and subsidence totalling|£314 (2023: £194)||The partner of R Dangerfield was reimbursed expenses in relation to mileage, subsidence, accomodation
accommodation|and equipment totalling £1,014 (2023: £NIL)|and equipment totalling £1,014 (2023: £NIL)|and equipment totalling £1,014 (2023: £NIL)||There were no other related party transactions.||||||||||||||Spiritualists’ National Union | Trustees Annual Report 2024
**9**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**30.**|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|**SPIRITUALISTS' NATIONAL UNION**|**(A Company Limited by Guarantee)**|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024**|**Analysis of changes in net debt**|||At 1st
At 31st|January
December||2024
Cash flows
2024|£
£
£|Cash at bank and in hand
1,036,631
712,173
1,748,804|Debt due within 1 year
(352,423)
352,423
-|684,208
1,064,596
1,748,804||||**Capital commitments**||2024
2023|£
£||**Contracted for but not provided in these financial statements**||Capital projects
-
8,100|||||**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 £34,316 (2023: £34,376). At the year end, contributions totalling £20,780 (2023:|£8,254) remained outstanding and are included in other creditors.|||||**Operating lease commitments**||At 31st December 2024 the Charity had commitments to make future minimum lease payments under|non-cancellable operating leases as follows:|2024
2023|£
£|Not later than 1 year
24,960
27,288|Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years
17,829
42,594|42,789
69,882||**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.|iritualists’ National Union | Trustees Annual Report 2024|
Follow the SNU
Spiritualists’ National Union The Coach House, Stansted Hall, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex CM24 8UD
01279 816363 | www.snu.org.uk | snu@snu.org.uk