RIPON AND LOWER DALES CIRCUIT

Registered charity 1133792 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as RIPON METHODIST CIRCUIT

Promotion of the Christian faith through worship, teaching and service. We have 21 church communities based around the area of Ripon, Boroughbridge, bedale and Masham in the county of North Yorkshire. As well as worship we offer pastoral care and service to our communities.

Objects

The purposes of the Methodist Church are and shall be deemed to have been since the date of union the advancement of -(a) the Christian faith in accordance with the doctrinal standards and the discipline of the Methodist Church;(b) any charitable purpose for the time being of any Connexional, district, circuit, local or other organisation of the Methodist Church;(c) any charitable purpose for the time being of any society or institution subsiduary or ancillary to the Methodist Church;(d) any purpose for the time being of any charity being a charity subsidiary or ancillary to the Methodist Church.

Area of benefit: UNDEFINED. IN PRACTICE, LOCAL

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Religious Activities · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£395k

Latest spending

£590k

Registered

2010

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total reserves of £545,842 are above the stated policy target of six months' average expenditure (£135,000). However, the trustees note that surplus funds held over the agreed reserve are not considered to be at a tolerable level for the continued smooth running of the circuit due to planned development projects.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: six months' average expenditure (held: £546k)

“The Reserves Policy for the Circuit is to hold a minimum sum equivalent to 6 months’ average expenditure.” — page 9

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Circuit is part of the Yorkshire North and East Methodist District and is also accountable to Connexion through the Methodist Conference of Great Britain.

“The Circuit is part of the Yorkshire North and East Methodist District and is also accountable to Connexion through the Methodist Conference of Great Britain.” — page 5

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/08/2023)

Total income

£639k

Total spending

£511k

Reserves (reported)

£733k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~17.2 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 7.1 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Other (66% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.0%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Rev Gareth Baronchair
ALAN DAVIS · trustee of 1 other charity
AMANDA JANE MILNER · trustee of 1 other charity
ANGELA ARCHBOLD
Andrea Scott
Brian Davies
Brian Fothergill
CLARE DALTON · trustee of 1 other charity
Catherine Clowes
David Arundell
Diane Ashby
Elizabeth Elvy
GEOFF LOBLEY · trustee of 1 other charity
Hazel Jean Stelling
Helen Ruth Verity
JANET MARGARET WATSON
JOHN ENSOLL
JOHN WILKINSON DUCK · trustee of 1 other charity
JOY ABEL
JOYCE SPENSLEY
JULIE OLIVE SMITH
Jan Goodall
Joan Fothergill
KATHLEEN LOWRIE · trustee of 2 other charities
Karen Emms
LISTER BAYNES
Mark Greensit
Pamela Stansfield
Pauline Broadwith
Pauline Staton
Philippa Cowie
ROBERT ERIC GREENSIT
ROBIN GEORGE JENNINGS
ROGER TAYLOR
RUTH CHRISTINE THOMAS
Richard Emms
SHARON FIONA HOLMES · trustee of 1 other charity
SIMON ABEL
Stephen Wild
Timothy Abel

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: North Yorkshire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/08/2025	£395k	£590k
31/08/2024	£297k	£399k
31/08/2023	£639k	£511k
31/08/2022	£252k	£317k
31/08/2021	£792k	£507k

Common questions

Is RIPON AND LOWER DALES CIRCUIT financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total reserves of £545,842 are above the stated policy target of six months' average expenditure (£135,000). However, the trustees note that surplus funds held over the agreed reserve are not considered to be at a tolerable level for the continued smooth running of the circuit due to planned development projects. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.