## **ANGLICAN MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER** # **ANNUAL REPORT AND STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30[TH] JUNE 2023** **CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 292594** 1 ## **ANGLICAN MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER** ## **CONTENTS** Page 3 Legal and Administrative Information Pages 4 & 5 Trustees’ Report Page 6 Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees Page 7 Statement of Receipts and Payments Page 8 Statement of Assets and Liabilities Pages 9 Notes to the Accounts 2 ## **ANGLICAN MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER** ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** **WORKING NAME** Marriage Encounter (Anglican Expression) **CHARITY NUMBER** 292594 **START OF FINANCIAL YEAR** 1[st] July 2022 **END OF FINANCIAL YEAR 3** 0[th] June 2023 **TRUSTEES AT 30[TH] JUNE 2023** Nick & Viv Drayton Malcolm & Margaret Harrison David & Liz Percival (Lay Executive couple) David & Ann Roberts Revd Ian & Jane Scott-Thompson (Chair couple) **LEGAL STATUS** Unincorporated Charity **GOVERNING DOCUMENT** Trust Deed dated 17[th] June 1985 as amended by a Deed of Variation dated 10[th] May 2003 ## **OBJECTS** To educate the public concerning the union of a man and a woman within the institution of marriage with particular reference to emotional, physical and sexual relationships and with a view to developing personal responsibilities and enriching family life to deepen such relationships through communication between marriage partners. ## **CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS** ## **PRIMARY BANKERS** The Rectory Church Lane Marks Tey Colchester CO6 1LW Lloyds Bank PLC CAF Bank Limited 25 Gresham Street 25 Kings Hill Avenue London West Malling EC2V 7HN Kent ME19 4JQ ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER** Norman Gillhespy FCA 4 Hopewell Close Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 5PN 3 ## **ANGLICAN MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2023** The Trustees present their report on the financial statements of Anglican Marriage Encounter for the year ended 30 June 2023. The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comply with the charity’s Trust Deed and applicable law. ## **The charity** Anglican Marriage Encounter is a registered charity governed by the Trust Deed made on 17 June 1985 as varied by a Deed of Variation dated 10 May 2003. It is registered with the Charity Commission under number 292594. The Trustees have had due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. The charity provides public benefit through the advancement of the education of engaged and married couples concerning the union of a man and a woman within the institution of marriage with particular reference to emotional, physical and sexual relationships and with a view to developing personal responsibilities and enriching family life to deepen such relationships through communication between marriage partners. The charity pursues its aims primarily through providing teaching weekends, most of them residential, for married and engaged couples. Ongoing support is available after the weekends. The charity’s weekend programmes are widely publicised through adverts, magazine articles, leaflets in public places such as churches, libraries and doctors surgeries, through the internet and by word of mouth. The weekends are open to engaged or married couples whatever their financial circumstances or faith. There are no charges other than a modest booking fee which can also be waived where necessary. All other funding comes through voluntary donations. We encourage couples who have attended a weekend to pass on information to others, particularly those who might be unable to afford to pay for a comparable programme. ## **Trustees** The Trustees who served during the year are given on page 3. The Trustees met twice in the year, and dealt with necessary business by e-mail between meetings. ## **Selection and training of Trustees** Trustees are appointed from couples who have experienced one or more of the charity’s weekends and who can bring diverse experience from business, charity governance, church, and organisations supporting marriage. Relevant Charity Commission publications and guidance when issued, are circulated to Trustees with the opportunity for discussion during biannual business meetings. ## **Review of activities** Nine weekends had been planned for the year, but two were cancelled for want of couples wishing to attend. Six Marriage Encounter weekends were held, attended by 36 couples (17 couples in 2021/22), and one Engaged Encounter weekend attended by 3 couples (4 in 2021/22). Receipts and expenditure both increased as a result of more Weekends being held and more couples attending. Venue costs have increased significantly over the year. The net result was a surplus of £3,764 (£4,262 in 2021/22) which was added to Reserves.The Trustees are grateful that the charity is financially secure and hope that weekend activities will return to pre-Covid levels. However the number of couples showing an interest in Engaged weekends is disappointing. The Trustees have spent more on advertising weekends and ran smaller than usual weekends in order to revive activity, boost bookings and encourage volunteers. 4 Six Weekends have Ix¢n pl8nned for the year lo 30 June 2024. The a[￿Ual Team and Officers Day was held itl Sutton Coldfield as in ¢arlier years with gwd att¢ndanc¢. Community supwrt to couples who have attended a weekend continue through a monthly email newsletter, Faceknok groups, and small groups meeting online and in person. Leadership succession and volullteeT resources are an incre&8ing ¢oncem. The Trustees would like to re￿rd th¢ir gratihid¢ to all th¢ many volunt¢¢rs who continu¢ lo serv¢ the charity in so tnany ways. All of the clkarity's activities are carried out by volunteers. Reserves p)lity The Trustees, policy is that the charity should have unrestricted reserves of at least the amount that would be needed to mT] wcekcnds for 6 months. Wc rcquire sufficient reserves to be able to colljmit to providc weekends in good faiih, without being dependent on any conlribution the Couples attending thos¢ weekends may makc to thc future actsvities of the organisation. At 30 Jutke 2023 unrestricted reserves stood at £108,183 whirh is mor¢ than ihe amount requird by th¢ Trustees, ￿liCY. Investment p)liey and returns Bank interest is the only investment income earned by the chatity. Risk management The Trustees are responsible for examininb) the major risks that the charity faces each financi￿ year when reviewing ils plans. The Trustees maintain a risk register which they review annually, Whil￿ ensuring there 8re systems in plac¢ for monitoring and ¢ontrol, so as to miti8ate any impact on the ¢harity's a¢tivities. Th¢ TTUSt¢es regularly reNi¢w all polici¢s and procedur¢s. Governance and internal control The Trnste¢s (kle8ate mana8¢m¢nt of the charity's activities to th¢ Lay Executive coupl< who repon to the Trusl¢es at least twice a y¢ar. There are no paid officers and all the administration is conducted from private homes. Ian Scott-ThompsoD Jane Scott-Thompson Chair Couple Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Anglican Marriage Encounter (registered charity 292594) Responsibilities and basis of report I rewrt to the trustees on my examination of the accounts ofthe charity for the year ended 30 June 2023 as set out on pages 7 10 9. As the trustees of the charity. you are respx)nsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirem¢nts ol. the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in reS￿ct of my examination of the cbarity's accounts carried oul under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying oul my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under s¢clion 145(5Mb) of the Act. Independent examiner's statement I have completed m). examination. I confirni that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with th¢ ¢xarninalion which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records w¢r¢ not kept in ac¢ordanc¢ with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the exatnination to which attention should be dra￿￿ in order to enable a prO￿r understanding of the accounts to be reached. Nomian Gillhespy FCA 4 Hop¢w¢ll Clos¢ Shoreham-by-sea BN43 5PN Date ## **Anglican Marriage Encounter** ## **Receipts and Payments for the Year Ended 30th June 2023** |||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**Notes**|**Funds**|**Funds**|**2023**||**_2022_**| |**Receipts**||£|£|£||_£_| |Donations and Similar receipts|2a|37,625|-|37,625||_30,252_| |Investment Income|2b|678|-|678||_163_| |**Total Receipts**||**38,303**|**-**|**38,303**||**_30,415_**| |**Payments**||||||| |Expenditure in Furtherance of the||||||| |Charitable Objectives|3a|31,217|-|31,217||_23,843_| |Expenditure on Managing and||||||| |Administering the Charity|3b|3,322|-|3,322||_2,310_| |**Total Payments**||**34,539**|**-**|**34,539**||**_26,153_**| |**Net Receipts / (Payments)**||**3,764**|**-**|**3,764**||**_4,262_**| |**Transfers between Funds**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**_-_**| |Balances Brought Forward||104,419|720|105,139||_100,877_| |**Balances Carried Forward**||**108,183**|**720**|**108,903**||**_105,139_**| |||||||| 7 Anglican Marriage Encounter Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 30th June 2023 Assets Not• 2023 2022 Cash Funds Uoyd5 Bank CAF Bank 11,786 7.585 65,747 30,0(N) 1,370 16.790 Shawbrook 8ank P8yPal 108,903 105,139 General Fund& 108,183 104.419 Restiiitsd F￿ndS 720 108.903 104139 OtherAssets & LiabilitTres of the Charity not included al)ove: D8po81ts paid In advance venu88 Gift A¢J claims 1,880 5.276 Donaticfj in transit 2,n6 Current Liabilrtiès Venue costs 315 Travel experAe8 Profe8sion81 fees 1,091 525 eooking fees rece￿ed in qdvan 220 1,491 1.516 gt pwoved by the Trufjtees on and &gned on their behalfby....... . Chair of Twstees ## **Anglican Marriage Encounter** ## **Notes to the Accounts for the Year Ended 30th June 2023** ## **1. Basis of Accounting** The accounts have been prepared on a cash basis, and meet at least the minimum levels of accountability recommended by the Charity Commission. |**2. Receipts**
**2023**
£
£
£
**a) Donations and Similar Receipts**
Gifts & Donations
30,047
30,047
Gift Aid received
6,448
6,448
Booking Fees & other income
1,130
1,130
**37,625**
**-**
**37,625**
**b) Investment Income**
Bank Interest
678
678
**678**
**-**
**678**
**3. Payments**
**a) Expenditure in Furtherance of Charitable Objectives**
**Weekend Costs**
Marriage Encounter
22,444
22,444
Engaged Encounter
3,692
3,692
Weekend reunions & community day
-
-
Leaflets, advertising, promotion
1,695
1,695
Encounter Magazine
2,686
2,686
30,517
-
30,517
**Training and Development**
Team & Officer Development
700
700
Team Deeper Weekend
-
-
700
-
700
**Total**
**31,217**
**-**
**31,217**
**b) Expenditure on Managing and Administering the Charity**
Meetings & travel
1,081
1,081
Communications & Support
929
929
Independent Examiner
456
456
Banking Services
419
419
Insurance
437
437
**3,322**
**-**
**3,322**
**4. Restricted Funds**
**2,023**
To purchase banners for use at Weekends
720
**720**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**|**_2022_**
_£_
_22,309_
_6,883_
_1,060_
**_30,252_**
_163_
**_163_**
_15,278_
_3,317_
_-_
_765_
_2,408_
_21,768_
-
_2,075_
_2,075_
**_23,843_**
_1,040_
_133_
_444_
_256_
_437_
**_2,310_**
**_2022_**
_720_
**_720_**| |---|---| ## **5. Trustees expenses** A total of £1,257 (2022 - £626) was paid to trustees to reimburse them for travel and other expenses on charity business. ## **6. Staff Costs and Numbers** The Charity employed no staff during this or the previous financial period. 9