The Lady Anne Windsor Charity Annual Report 2025
Registered Charity No. 1031819
The purpose of the charity is, as it has been since its foundation in 1606 by Lady Anne Windsor, to provide almshouse accommodation for “poor persons who are inhabitants of the area of the Civil Parishes of Leavenheath, Nayland-with-Wissington and Stoke-By-Nayland with a preference for women” in the words of our Governing Document. We do this at present by means of the historic almshouses at 1 to 4 The Downs and No. 3 Rowley Cottages, Church Lane, Stoke by Nayland.
Our money comes predominantly from the payments made by residents: In 2025 we received £26,577 from charges to residents, and £4,408 from other sources.
Our expenditure is essentially for work on the buildings, from routine repairs and maintenance to paying for past investment and work for improvements: In 2025 we spent £1,551 on “business as usual” costs eg maintenance, £9,188 servicing loans and £13,179 on Downs remodelling project fees.
Stewardship : The Trustees continue to be of the opinion that the assets of the Charity are sufficient to cover the requirements of our current operations. We need to build up our balances so as to contribute to the important projects envisaged below, but these will require major funding from other sources.
Weekly maintenance contributions for residents – for almshouses, corresponding to rent – were increased by 2.7%, the year’s increase in social housing rents, indexed to inflation, on 1 May 2025.
Our reserves increased from £109,821 to £122,062
Development :
The Downs almshouses need up-to-date facilities. We have developed a scheme to do much more than bring their facilities up-to-date. If we can achieve it, they will be transformed, within the constraints of the 400-year old historic main building, and of the site, at the top of a grassy slope. Having obtained planning permission and listed building consent in 2024, we engaged in detailed design during 2025 (and went out to tender to five contractors in March 2026). But we must emphasise that success is not guaranteed. We have started raising outside funds for the purpose.
The Lady Anne Windsor Charity Annual Report 2025
The Charity’s Plough Lane field in Leavenheath presents a unique opportunity to develop new accommodation to meet local needs by working in close conjunction with Leavenheath Parish Council. Following a negative response to a pre-app submission to Babergh District Council we undertook a variety of discussions exploring possible ways forward, and in September received a detailed and encouraging response from a Principal Planning Officer. We have since pursued discussions with three Housing Associations, but with negative outcome. We intend to explore other routes to develop this site.
Trustees : There was no change among the Trustees during 2025. I was re-elected as Chairman. Rosie Emeny, Peter Orrock, Martin Owen and Graham Walker continued as Trustees, with Martin also being Treasurer. Rowena Engleheart continued as our Clerk.
Since the year end, Rosie Emeny and I have been re-nominated as Trustees by Stoke by Nayland Parish Council on the expiry of our terms.
Residents: No 2 The Downs was unoccupied at the beginning of 2025. We appointed Niall Morrison, on the basis that he would vacate the property when required for the remodelling project but with the right to return on its completion
The occupancy details, with the year of commencement, are:
No 1 The Downs, Nicholas Beavan (2016)
No 2 The Downs, Niall Morrison from 15 June
No 3 The Downs, Karl Cansdale (2003)
No 4 The Downs, Jackson Reader (2022)
3 Rowley Cottages, Maureen Frost (2024)
Other : Our farm tenants, Mr Neil Pulford, for Campen Close behind the Guildhall in Stoke by Nayland, and E T Smith & Son, for our Plough Lane field, remain unchanged from last year.
Adam Sedgwick Chairman 24 April 2026
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The Lady Anne Windsor Charity Annual Report 2025
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of The Lady Anne Windsor Charity
On accounts for the year 31[st] December 2025 Charity 1031819 ended no (if any) Set out on pages (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31[st] December 2024.
- Responsibilities and basis As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of of report the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Name: Robert Lightfoot
Date: 1st July 2026
Relevant professional
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The Lady Anne Windsor Charity Annual Report 2025
qualification(s) or body (if any):
Address: Wool House, Church Street, Stoke by Nayland, Colchester CO6 4QP
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
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The Lady Anne Windsor Charity Annual Report 2025 (HARIIY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WAlfS LADY ANNE WNDSOR CHARrrY 1031BIg Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Irom To 01-Jan-25 31-0ec-2S Section A Receipts and paymenls UnTestTiGttd lunds tothe nearest Restricteit funds tothe neast£ Endobwnent funds iothe n•arqst£ Total funds Last year toth8 noar•5tE to Ihp npar@St£ Al Recei hc Oowns MC R04btsY DDnatioi15 InvgstTrElll income .NAACIF Dlvs t$ .001 8,576 3.125 17,572 6.DDD 8516 &125 CamLn Land Lane lan 233 960 233 960 Sub totalfGross income forAR 30,894 2SI09 A2 Asset and investment 5ale5. see table . Morn Loa Mcde rts rttpwd NelF se Sub total Total receip A3Pa ments loan wrAngenI lees ha( ballk n¥)rt9age Interest In5u(ance 200 3.854 200 4,353 LA32 1.841 2L6 216 reaseXpDses,MlThstth0n xmas gifts io resid8nts 542 Do4WS Telurb proPtee5 Pbuoh Lgnfrpr0ietses 13,179 179 6.779 Sub tota A4 Asset and investment urchases, (see table COIF De osil Fund COIF Shoff Ourion Bond Fund Mort eca loan re .000 1,093 4.000 IM93 4,000 meni 4.000 Sub tota r0talpaynn Net of receipts/(paynnts AS Translers betsen funds 20 20.000 20.000 A6 Cash lunds last year end 611 Cash funds this yearen 857 Page5of6
The Lady Anne Windsor Charity Annual Report 2025 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds 10 flear•5t£ Restricted funds to nearest£ Endowment funds ar•s¢ £ CaiecJ¢)fies 81 Cash funds BarcY5 cuffent at IOW50 Total cash funds 10,850 IwEe payfi atcounllsii AgreenieDI Eiror Unrestricted lunds ieeinerti Error Restncted fund$ EndowTnent funds Details to Wrest to nEvxest to nearesi £ B2 Other Monetary assets Fund towhich assEI bulong5 RestTrcted Currentvu& tiOMI Details M&G Chanty Fwd Cost(optTrAIl B3 Investment a55ets COIF Short aondFuTrd Re5tTrcted 42,938 COIF De1 Fund Restntted 68&74 Fund fo whith &%set belimgs Endowrnoni COst{optionl culrentvue Details Oo¥¥nS Cotta9esl41 84 Assets retsined for the 400.000 charsty's own use 3 RovAey CoNogp5 UnrE*ricled 0.000 0.000 Campèn Field Unrestricied LeaveDheath field unrericied Fund towhich relntes uniestritied Ath)unt due onall 40.1 due IDPtson&ll rq>ayrnent over 25yEaf5 Details MDnq&ge 85 Liabilrties 4 ¥ VthIC UntFstyKted on residerf5 departUfE repaymtntover 10 y8&is AA Loa UnrestrKted pferred n91mlI•& 100 IOyeaI5 unre5trLted signed by e (K wirusiee5 C behall olall the Iw5tees Signa Date of approval re Print Name LG IrJ O LJerJ Page6of6