FWBO (CORWEN) Annual Report for Year Ending 31[st] December 2021
The Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (Corwen) – henceforth FWBO (Corwen) – is registered with the Charity Commission , number 514363. The charity runs Vajraloka meditation retreat centre, Tyn y Ddol, Corwen, Denbighshire LL21 0EN. The charity is constituted by Deed Trust, constituted in September 1983 and amended in November 1986 and again in December 2002.
FWBO(Corwen) is administered by a council of Trustees comprising, during 2021: Dh Tejananda (John Wakeman) Chairman, Dh Vidyacitta, Treasurer, Dh Jinapalita, Dh Tejapushpa and Dh Amita (Dr Sion Williams).
The overall purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Buddhist Religion, and to encourage and teach members of the residential community at Vajraloka, and members of the wider Triratna Buddhist community (FWBO), and others, to live in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha and of Buddhism. In particular the charity supports members of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community and works in cooperation with the other groups within the Triratna Buddhist Community. The charity is organisationally and financially independent from these other groups, though all are under the spiritual guidance of the Triratna Buddhist Order.
The charity carries out its objectives principally by running residential retreats on the theme of Buddhist meditation. The retreats are mainly open to the general public, with various degrees of previous meditation experience. The capacity for each retreat is 21 people. In addition, members of the residential team also visit other Buddhist groups and centres to teach.
Vajraloka Retreat Centre aims to have a residential community of between five and seven who support the running of the retreats. Currently the team consists of four men. As well as living support a small stipend is offered to each member, together with a retreat/vacation stipend allowance.
Until the middle of 2021, we were still obliged to depend entirely on voluntary donations for our online offerings, as had also been the case during the whole of 2020. Our online retreats were well attended, one having 100 people signed up, and people were generous with their donations, demonstrating a great
deal of goodwill towards Vajraloka. As we were not having retreats at Vajraloka itself, our outgoings were comparatively modest and our financial situation remained sustainable.
From July, however, with changes in the Welsh Government regulations, we were able to open to people coming here on retreat once again. Initially, the regulations in force meant we could only offer places to 8 people, but from August we were able to increase this to 13 places, with each retreatant having a single room to themselves, the multiple occupation rooms only having one occupant. This, together with our observance of government covid protocols, helped alleviate people’s possible misgivings about coming on a retreat while the severe delta variant of covid was still rife and most of the retreats we offered for the rest of the year were well attended.
Only one retreat here had to be terminated, after just 3 days, when a team member proved to have become ill with covid. Fortunately, although the team member did became very ill, he recovered and no-one else in the team or among the retreatants had symptoms or tested positive.
At the end of the year, in response to further government regulations, we were obliged to cancel two one-week retreats over the Christmas - new year period, before re-opening in January.
During the year, Prajnapriya, who has been part of the Vajraloka team and community for 5 years, decided that it was time to move on and left in December. Prajnapriya has been a great asset to the community and team here and, given that the number of people in the team is now less than optimum, he very generously agreed to continue administering our bookings and related matters from Cambridge.
Dh Tejananda (John Wakeman) Chairman.
Vajraloka December 31/12/21 Profit and Loss
| Sales | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations includes online retreats | 44820.95 | ||
| Donations to Annex project | 254.00 | ||
| note1 | Retreat Income | 45209.59 | |
| Bank Interest | 3.00 | ||
| Gift aid tax recovered | 647.05 | ||
| Other income | 450.00 | ||
| Solar Panel Income | 1078.67 | ||
| 92463.26 | |||
| Direct Expenses | |||
| Advertising & Marketing | 14.78 | ||
| Food & Household | 20823.00 | ||
| Guest Teachers & Team Help | 2640.25 | ||
| 23478.03 | |||
| Gross Income/(Expenditure) : | 68985.23 | 68985.23 | |
| Overheads | |||
| Rates | 2581.24 | ||
| Water | 598.99 | ||
| Insurance | 2600.92 | ||
| Gas | 6333 | ||
| Electricity | 2870.00 | ||
| Administration | 1120.39 | ||
| Telephone | 1696.03 | ||
| Books and Subscription | 23.97 | ||
| Maintenance | 2240.71 | ||
| Gardening | 62.00 | ||
| Motor Expenses | 1920.82 | ||
| Medical Expenses | 69.45 | ||
| Bank Charges and Interest | 805.35 | ||
| Team Support | 26693.93 | ||
| Team recreation | 709.89 | ||
| Training and recruitmnet | 50.00 | ||
| Professional Fees | 79.20 | ||
| Subscriptions & Donations | 1120.00 | ||
| Long Term Spending | 12437.32 | ||
| 64013.96 | |||
| Net Income/(Expenditure) : | 4971.27 |
Net Income/(Expenditure) :
note 1Denbighshire grant for December closure of £2000 is also due ( see February 2022) Therfore profit for year would be £6971.27
banks as 31/1/Current account = £27000. Deposit = £29800 Savings =£20 Credit cards = (£805) Paypal =£27,000 (mostly retreat income for 2022 and upcoming bookings)
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members E)KIJE)Hi s J C0aRtsj&)J On accounts for the year ended 31" JEt&MPER 201 Charlty no (If any) 513L3 Set out on pages l port to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity I'the Trust") for the year ended Responslbllities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are spOnsIbLe for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111"the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 1451511bl of the Act. Independent IThe charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualifled examiner's to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of statement linsert name of applicable listed bodyl}. Delete l ] if not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination lother than that disclosed below ) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: [ the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or E the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or E the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reportsl Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination, I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. * Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: IER Oct 2018