On Tuesday 24^th February, we logged onto Zoom to hear some key messages from the EC, including updates on plans for the Annual Meetings, Unitarian College, and what they discussed at their recent meeting at Ullet Road at the weekend. It’s good to have the chance to speak directly to our national representatives; a positive thing for our movement that would not have been so easy in earlier years. Discussions afterwards focussed on support for smaller congregations and paying for work to be done, also the future of the Congregational Connections and Worship Words resources. Good to catch up with all! Here’s a summary of the main items discussed at their meeting:

The GA’s Executive Committee met at Ullet Road Church, Liverpool on the weekend of 21st and 22nd February.

It was a full and productive meeting, with several key updates to share.

• The EC has co-opted Andrew Appleyard as a new member. Andrew is Treasurer of the Rosslyn Hill congregation, a trustee of the Ministers Pension Fund, and a former Governor of Channing School, and brings expertise in financial services and investment management.
• The GA’s move to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) has been rescheduled. The transfer will now take place at the end of September, aligning with the end of the GA’s financial year. This simplifies the accounting process and reduces auditing costs. The existing GA charity will continue operating until 30 September 2026, with the new CIO taking over from 1 October.
• Nick Butler-Watts joined the meeting to update the EC on the Unitarian Innovation Fund, sharing details of grants awarded and in progress, and walking the EC through the fund’s theory of change and its strategic benefits to the wider movement.
• The EC received an update on safeguarding, including progress on training.
• The 2024-25 GA accounts were approved in principle, with minor corrections to follow. The EC expressed real satisfaction with the audit process carried out by Sayer Vincent.
• To maintain close links with other Unitarian bodies, Stephanie has become a trustee of the Nightingale Centre, now an independent CIO, and Arek has joined the board of Unitarian College.
• Since Pamela Welsh joined the GA as an interim communications lead in September, the team has taken the opportunity to review the communications function as a whole. The EC is delighted that Pamela will continue in a strategic role, and recruitment is now under way for a communications officer to work alongside her.
• Plans for the Annual Meetings are progressing well, as noted earlier in this email.