PURLEY CIRCUIT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH

Registered charity 1134261 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The Purley Circuit co-ordinates and supports the activity of 4 Methodist Churches and 1 Local Ecumenical Partnership (with the United Reformed Church). These run over the southern part of the Borough of Croydon, include one church in the borough of Sutton (but only just so) and one church in the Tandridge District of Surrey. Each of these churches devise their own programme of activities.

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 SUBSIDIARY 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

Registered contact address: Croydon, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£466k

Latest spending

£269k

Registered

2010

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the Circuit reported an operating deficit of £79,894 for the year ended 31 August 2025, primarily due to property expenditure and a significant levy on its Model Trust Fund. However, the trustees confirm the Circuit is expected to remain solvent for the next two financial years, supported by substantial unrestricted reserves and the recent acquisition of a new manse.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Assessments on churches (88% of income)

“In the year ended 31 August 2025, 88% (£137,064) of the Circuit’s income (other than capital receipts) was derived from assessments paid by each of the individual churches in the Circuit” — page 7

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: six months projected expenditure from that fund, excluding expenditure on manses (reserves figure: £150k)

“The Reserves Policy of the Purley Circuit was revised at the Circuit Meeting in March 2024 to ensure that, at the end of each financial year, the General Fund should cover six months projected expenditure from that fund, excluding expenditure on manses” — page 6

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor

“The Circuit is expected to remain solvent for 2025/26 and 2026/27. It continues to be the case that the Circuit Trustees will need to agree a plan to eliminate the deficit in the longer term.” — page 7

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Circuit received a grant of £100,000 from the London District Advance Fund towards the costs of employing a Deacon.

“The Circuit has received a grant of £100,000 from the London District Advance Fund towards the costs of employing a Deacon for five years, commencing on 1st September 2025.” — page 21

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
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/08/2025

Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/08/2023

Volunteers: 15
Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity; other trustee benefit

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Trustees · trustee networks

Rev GRAHAM KEITH CLAYDON-KNIGHTSchair
ANN VERA WAGSTAFF
Anne Josephine Downey
CHRISTINA MARY DENCH
Curtis Mark Juman
Deacon Suzie Godinho Barony Viana
Doreen Ann Wright
Dr Robert James Baston
EDDIE TAYLOR
ELAINE SANDRA BURROWS
ELEANOR ELIZABETH DAY
Enock Omonya Nyongesa
HELEN RANKIN
JEANNE REVNELL
Jeremy David Davies
Jill Gradon
MARJORIE DEAR
MR A B WALLBANK
MRS H JUMAN · trustee of 1 other charity
MRS M ISTED-OSBORN
MRS T E WALLBANK
Maureen Angella Cebreiro
PAMELA JUNE OSBORNE
Rev Dr Jonathan Dean · trustee of 5 other charities
Rev Ermal Boston Kirby
Rev Roberto Alves Viana
Rev STEPHEN ROBERT MARES
Rev Sang Wook Han
Susan Jean Stevens

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

Operates in: Croydon · Surrey · Sutton

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/08/2025	£466k	£269k
31/08/2024	£183k	£442k
31/08/2023	£133k	£422k
31/08/2022	£159k	£186k
31/08/2021	£175k	£179k

Common questions

Is PURLEY CIRCUIT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the Circuit reported an operating deficit of £79,894 for the year ended 31 August 2025, primarily due to property expenditure and a significant levy on its Model Trust Fund. However, the trustees confirm the Circuit is expected to remain solvent for the next two financial years, supported by substantial unrestricted reserves and the recent acquisition of a new manse. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
ELM HALL DRIVE METHODIST CHURCH	1	£42k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CHORLEY AND LEYLAND METHODIST CIRCUIT.

CHORLEY AND LEYLAND METHODIST CIRCUIT income £765k
CROYDON METHODIST CIRCUIT income £364k
STOKESLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT income £174k
HULL (CENTRE AND WEST) METHODIST CIRCUIT income £354k
DERBY CIRCUIT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH income £532k
SOUTH PETHERTON AND CREWKERNE METHODIST CIRCUIT income £490k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
PURLEY CIRCUIT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH	£466k	—	above	—	noted
CHORLEY AND LEYLAND METHODIST CIRCUIT FY2025	£765k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
CROYDON METHODIST CIRCUIT FY2025	£364k	—	above	—	no doubt
STOKESLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT FY2025	£174k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
HULL (CENTRE AND WEST) METHODIST CIRCUIT FY2025	£354k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
DERBY CIRCUIT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH FY2025	£532k	—	unclear	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.