## **THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF ST STEPHEN** ## **ANNUAL REPORT** ## **YEAR ENDING** ## **30[TH] JUNE 2024** ## CHARITY NUMBER 803021 `1 **THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF ST STEPHEN** Trustees Mr P Briers (appointed 27/11/2021) Ms C Burns (appointed 27/11/2021) Mr Q Tran (appointed 10/06/2014) Mr M Besford (resigned 2022) Mr M O Leary (resigned 27/11/2021) Mr M Malone (resigned 27/11/2021) Mr J Woodford (resigned 27/11/2021) Address PO BOX 568 LONDON WC1A 1YT Bank Barclays Bank plc Westminster Branch 2 Victoria Road London SW1H 0ND Independent Examiner John D Stratford KHS ACMA, CGMA 9 Rosehip Way Bishop's Cleeve Cheltenham Glos, GL52 8WP Registered Charity Number 803021 `2 **THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF ST STEPHEN** ## **ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the year ended 30 June 2024** The trustees of The Archconfraternity of St Stephen present their annual report for the year ended 30[th] June 2024. ## **OBJECTIVES** To advance the Roman Catholic religion, in particular: - - i) to encourage positively and practically the highest standards of serving at the Church’s liturgy and so contribute to the whole community’s participation in a more fruitful worship of God; - ii) to provide Altar Servers with a greater understanding of what they are doing so that they may serve in an increasingly reverent and prayerful manner, thereby be led to a deepening response to their vocation in life; - iii) to unite Servers of different parishes and Dioceses for their mutual support and encouragement. ## **TRUSTEES DURING THE YEAR** The trustees throughout the year were - Mr P Briers (appointed 27/11/2021 as Honorary President) - Ms C Burns (appointed 27/11/2021 as Honorary Vice President) - Mr Q Tran (appointed 10/06/2014 as Honorary Treasurer) - Mr M Besford (resigned 2022) - Mr M Malone (resigned 27/11/2021) - Mr M O Leary (resigned 27/11/2021) - Mr J Woodford (resigned 27/11/2021) ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT** The charity is governed by a constitution which was adopted on 12 December 1988. The Superior General of the Archconfraternity is the Archbishop of Westminster, who appoints the National Director, who is also chaplain to the Central Council. The affairs of the Archconfraternity shall be administered by the Central Council under the guidance of the National Director. The Central Council shall consist of the National Director, the Officers, and Members of the Council in accordance with the Rules of Procedure pertaining at the time. The Officers of the Archconfraternity are the Honorary President; Honorary Vice-President, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary. Membership of the Guild is open to servers who have made their First Holy Communion, without limit of age, who can serve Mass, and who have shown a wish to live up to the objectives and standards of the Guild. Servers should be given adequate training and should serve satisfactorily for a minimum of six months before being enrolled as a member of the Guild, using the prescribed form of enrolment. ## **THE CENTRAL COUNCIL** The Honorary President and Honorary Vice-President shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting to serve for a period of two years and may be re-elected for a second period of two years. Three members of the Council shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting to serve for a period of two years and may be re-elected to serve for a second period of two years, after which they must stand down for a least one year, unless they are re-nominated by the National Director and/or the Officers of the Archconfraternity in order to continue with any specific task which they have undertaken. Such nomination shall be considered the beginning of a further term of four years. `3 The Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary, Goods Manager shall be appointed by the National Director for terms of five years and may be re-appointed for a second term of five years. Any member, who fails to attend three consecutive Council Meetings, or to offer an apology for absence, shall be deemed to have resigned. The Central Council may co-opt a person to replace such member for the remainder of their current term. The National Director shall be empowered to appoint up to six Honorary Councillors of the Archconfraternity who shall assist him in safeguarding the affairs of the Archconfraternity and who may attend and vote at meetings of the Central Council. Each National Director shall have the right to review these appointments on taking up his duties. Powers of voting at any meeting of the Central Council shall be vested in all elected or appointed members and all Honorary Councillors of the Archconfraternity. The Chairperson of the meeting shall have a casting vote, ex officio. A quorum shall consist of not less than eight members of the Central Council, of whom at least four must be Officers or elected members. ## **GENERAL MEETINGS** The Annual General Meeting of the Archconfraternity open to all members, shall be held in London. Other General Meetings may be organised at the discretion of the Central Council. The Honorary Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss a specific matter, if requested to do so in writing by not less than twenty voting members of the Guild. Such a meeting must be held within three months of receipt of the request. Notice of General Meetings of the Archconfraternity shall be given at least twenty-one days prior to the date of the meeting. Any proposition for consideration at the Annual General Meeting must be submitted to the Honorary Secretary in writing by the end of September. The business at the Annual General Meeting shall include the presentation of the Central Councils Report for the year ending 30 June, including the Accounts and Balance Sheet. ## **ALTERATIONS TO CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF PROCEDURE** Alterations to the Constitution and Rules of Procedures shall receive assent of two thirds of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting. A resolution for the alteration of the Constitution and Rules of Procedure must be received by the Honorary Secretary of the Archconfraternity at least twenty-one days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward. At least fourteen days notice of such a meeting must be given by the Honorary Secretary to the membership and must include notice of the alteration proposed. Provided that no alteration made to Clause 2 of the Constitution (Objects), Rule 16 (Dissolution) or this Rule shall take effect until the approval in writing of the Charity Commissioners or other authority having charitable jurisdiction shall have been obtained; and no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Archconfraternity to cease to be a charity in law. Any question concerning the interpretation of these Rules shall be decided by the National Director. ## **DISSOLUTION** The Archconfraternity may be dissolved by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting convened for this purpose, of which twenty-one days notice shall have been given to the members. Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Archconfraternity, provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities such property shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Archconfraternity but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Archconfraternity as the Archconfraternity may determine and if and in so far as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose. `4 ## **REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS, ACTIVITIES, PUBLIC BENEFIT AND ACHIEVMENTS** In considering the activities and grants made during the year, the Trustees have paid due regard to the published Charity Commission guidance on the operation of the Public Benefit requirements of the Charities Act 2006. ## **TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES** Law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view, the trustees should follow best practice and - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the trust will continue to exist. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the trust and which enable them to ascertain the financial position of the trust and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with Charities’ law and the requirements if the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the trust and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## **FINANCIAL ACTIVITES** The financial activities of the charity during the year are set out in financial statements of this report. ## **SIGNED ON BEHALF OF THE TRUSTEES** ## **_________________________________** Mr Paul Briers President Dated. 30/06/2024 `5 **THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF ST STEPHEN** ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Archconfraternity of St Stephen, Charity number 803021, for the period **1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024** . ## **RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF THE REPORT** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“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 145(5)(b) of the Act. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS STATEMENT** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. The only concern I would raise is that the preparation of the accounts was significantly delayed due to the inactivity of the then Treasurer who has now been replaced. Otherwise, I have no other 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. ## **Signed:** **Name:** John Desmond Stratford K.H.S., A.C.M.A., C.G.M.A. **Qualifications:** Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) **Address:** 9 Rosehip Way Bishop’s Cleeve Cheltenham Gloucestershire, GL52 8WP Home: 01242 676780 Mobile: 07934 744944 Email: johnstratford10@hotmail.com **Date: 12 November 2025** `6 THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF ST STEPHEN STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES For the ear ended 30 June 2024 Total Total Notes Funds 2024 Funds 2023 Description Incom8 Donations & Legacies Donations , gifts & bequest Annual dinner Charitable activities Sale of Goods other trading Activities Bank Interest Other Total Income 566 28,343 16,757 2,046 796 30,389 18,119 Exp8nditure Raising funds Cost of Sales Bad debts & Other balan￿S written off Charitable activities AGM National altar servers mass Annual dinner Interest & Charges Memberships Mosaic related expenditure National conference Newsletter PayPal fees Postage printing & stationery Travel and meeting cost Website other Total Expenditure 30,975 3,673 14.740 824 578 1,418 512 873 250 500 1,347 350 6,472 1.020 45,063 18,469 Net incomelexpenditure for the year -14.674 -350 Transfer between funds Net movement in funds -14,674 -350 Reprosented by: Increase in value of Stock Write off of Debtors Reduction of Cash in Bank 1,525 -247 -15,952 -14.674 Reconclllatlon of funds Total funds brought forward 116.412 116.763 Total funds carried forward 101,738 116,412 12.11.2025 `8 **THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF ST STEPHEN** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 30 June 2024** ## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES** ## **Accounting convention** The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities published on 16/07/14, the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective January 2015) and the Companies Act 2006. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s). ## **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 the designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. ## **Income** All income are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. ## **Charitable expenditure** All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular activities, they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the resources. ## **Stock** Stock is valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost is based on the cost of purchase on the first in first out basis. ## **Liability recognition** Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources. ## **2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES** Donations received under Gift Aid have been grossed up by the amount of income tax recoverable. ## **3. EMPLOYEES AND TRUSTEES** The charity has no paid employees. None of the trustees received any remuneration from this charity for their services for the year ended 30th June 2024. `9 THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF ST STEPHEN NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for tho year 8nd8d 30 June 2024 3. GROSS TRADING PROFIT 2024 2023 Sales 28.343 16,757 Opening stock Purchases closing stock 26,076 32.500 -27.601 24,307 16.509 -26,076 Cost of Sales -30.975 -14.740 Total -2.632 2.017 4. PRINTING POSTAGE & STATIONERY 2024 2023 Postage Goods PO Box annual fee 525 330 855 720 300 1,020 Printing & Stationery Envelopes Printing & Toner 492 Total 1.347 1,020 5. DEBTORS 2024 2023 Goods sale more than 1 year Goods sales current year Prepayments 247 Total 247 'io