LANCASTER METHODIST CHURCH

Registered charity 1170840 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Lancaster Methodist Church serves the city of Lancaster in NW England.We aim to be an inclusive Christian community, with a deep commitment to justice and peace, which affirms and values everyone.The main church building is on the A6 South of the city,The Cornerstone, used in partnership with various charities serving disadvantaged people, is in the centre of the city, near the town hall.

Objects

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 BEING A 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.

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

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Religious Activities · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Lancaster, North West, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£134k

Latest spending

£165k

Registered

2016

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted funds totalled £195,688 at the end of the year, with total receipts of £133,824 against payments of £165,326. The trustees report that finances remain in a healthy position, allowing the charity to maintain a reserve policy of six months' typical expenditure. The church employs four staff members, including a full-time chaplain and part-time managers, while relying on volunteers for many community activities.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: six months’ typical expenditure (reserves figure: £196k)

“we are able to continue our Reserve policy of retaining six months’ typical expenditure.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 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
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Volunteer management

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

Volunteers: 30
Government income: £1,710 — grants £1,710 (2); 1% of the £133,824 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/08/2024

Volunteers: 25
Government income: £1,000 — grants £1,000 (2); under 1% of the £147,864 total gross income on the same return

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

Volunteers: 60
Government income: £9,656 — grants £9,656 (5); 5% of the £182,449 total gross income on the same return
Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity

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

Trustees · trustee networks

Rev Linda Jane Catlowchair · trustee of 1 other charity
ALISON MARY LOVE
Alexandra Stephanie Usselmann
Andrew Lund · trustee of 1 other charity
BRIAN GIFFARD SMITH
Clive Horsford · trustee of 1 other charity
David Spybey
Geraldine Ansah
IAN LOVE · trustee of 1 other charity
Joseph Hicks
LESLEY ANNE BROOKBANKS
PAUL ARTHUR BOWDEN MA, NPQH · trustee of 1 other charity
ROBERT MILLER
Wendy Jacqueline Ford

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

Operates in: Lancashire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/08/2025	£134k	£165k
31/08/2024	£148k	£158k
31/08/2023	£182k	£177k
31/08/2022	£185k	£246k
31/08/2021	£355k	£190k

Common questions

Is LANCASTER METHODIST CHURCH financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted funds totalled £195,688 at the end of the year, with total receipts of £133,824 against payments of £165,326. The trustees report that finances remain in a healthy position, allowing the charity to maintain a reserve policy of six months' typical expenditure. The church employs four staff members, including a full-time chaplain and part-time managers, while relying on volunteers for many community activities. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds LANCASTER METHODIST CHURCH?

Funders whose own accounts filings name LANCASTER METHODIST CHURCH as a grant recipient include THE ASDA FOUNDATION, THE ANCHOR FOUNDATION.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE ASDA FOUNDATION	FY2023	£16k	Investing in Spaces and Places
THE ASDA FOUNDATION	FY2024	£15k	Investing in Spaces and Places
THE ANCHOR FOUNDATION	FY2023	£4k

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Community Fund	14/04/2022	£10k	Refresh - Community Cafe

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
SALFORD METHODIST CIRCUIT	1	£2k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with Cornerstone Methodist Church.

Cornerstone Methodist Church income £193k
CANTLEY METHODIST CHURCH income £90k
CHESTER-LE-STREET METHODIST CHURCH income £219k
LEYLAND METHODIST CHURCH, LEYLAND, LANCASHIRE income £115k
The Methodist Church - Letchworth Garden City income £156k
The Methodist Church Barnsley North West income £321k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
LANCASTER METHODIST CHURCH	£134k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
Cornerstone Methodist Church FY2025	£193k	—	above	—	no doubt
CANTLEY METHODIST CHURCH FY2025	£90k	—	above	—	no doubt
CHESTER-LE-STREET METHODIST CHURCH FY2025	£219k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
LEYLAND METHODIST CHURCH, LEYLAND, LANCASHIRE FY2025	£115k	—	unclear	—	noted
The Methodist Church - Letchworth Garden City FY2025	£156k	—	unclear	—	no doubt

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