SOUTH EAST NORTHUMBERLAND METHODIST CIRCUIT

Registered charity 1206421 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SOUTH EAST NORTHUMBERLAND CIRCUIT

The South East Northumberland Methodist Circuit advances the Christian faith by providing worship, teaching, mission, and pastoral care. It resources local churches, offers buildings and facilities for community use, supports children, families, and older people, and works with others to serve the wider community.

Causes: Religious Activities · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · Get email alerts

Latest income

£290k

Latest spending

£337k

Registered

2024

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net expenditure of £46,905 for the year, resulting in a deterioration of unrestricted reserves which are now below the stated policy target. The trustees note that unrestricted reserves are unlikely to improve in the future due to risks associated with reducing church membership and income. Despite these financial pressures, the trustees maintain a going concern basis, asserting adequate resources for the foreseeable future.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £121k; policy: approximately £450,000)

“The unrestricted reserves are therefore below the policy level and have deteriorated further during the year.” — page 6

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Payments to trustees: Rev. A Oakley, Rev. C J Wood-Archer Rev. D Harding and Rev. R Porter received salary payments totalling £145,422 for their work as Methodist ministers. They also were reimbursed expenses totalling £8,735 for provision of services as ministers.

“Rev. A Oakley, Rev. C J Wood-Archer Rev. D Harding and Rev. R Porter, Trustees of South East Northumberland Methodist Circuit, received salary payments totalling £145,422 (2024: £141,765) (including employer's pension contributions) for their work as Methodist ministers.” — page 20

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/08/2024)

Total income

£1.9m

Total spending

£496k

Cost of raising funds

£117k

Reserves (reported)

£994k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~24.0 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 7.0 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (91% 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: 6.1% of total income — above the median for charities its size (2.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Rev ANTONY OAKLEYchair · trustee of 1 other charity
Cathryn Arnold · trustee of 1 other charity
Peter Michael Scott
Rev Alan Douglas McGougan
Rev Christopher John Wood-Archer BA.BD.MA.
Rev Denise Harding
Rev Richard Porter
Tom Lloyd

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

Operates in: Northumberland

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/08/2025	£290k	£337k
31/08/2024	£1.9m	£496k

Common questions

Is SOUTH EAST NORTHUMBERLAND METHODIST CIRCUIT financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net expenditure of £46,905 for the year, resulting in a deterioration of unrestricted reserves which are now below the stated policy target. The trustees note that unrestricted reserves are unlikely to improve in the future due to risks associated with reducing church membership and income. Despite these financial pressures, the trustees maintain a going concern basis, asserting adequate resources for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE METHODIST CHURCH NOTTINGHAM SOUTH CIRCUIT.

THE METHODIST CHURCH NOTTINGHAM SOUTH CIRCUIT income £327k
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE WEST METHODIST CIRCUIT income £387k
BRADFORD NORTH METHODIST CIRCUIT income £336k
NORTH CUMBRIA METHODIST CIRCUIT income £245k
THE PETERBOROUGH CIRCUIT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH income £304k
THE SOUTH BEDFORDSHIRE METHODIST CIRCUIT income £473k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
SOUTH EAST NORTHUMBERLAND METHODIST CIRCUIT	£290k	—	below	—	no doubt
THE METHODIST CHURCH NOTTINGHAM SOUTH CIRCUIT FY2025	£327k	Up to £60,000	unclear	—	no doubt
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE WEST METHODIST CIRCUIT FY2025	£387k	—	above	—	no doubt
BRADFORD NORTH METHODIST CIRCUIT FY2025	£336k	—	above	—	no doubt
NORTH CUMBRIA METHODIST CIRCUIT FY2025	£245k	—	above	—	no doubt
THE PETERBOROUGH CIRCUIT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH FY2025	£304k	—	unclear	—	noted

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