Crown of Thorns
Annual Report April 22 to late March 2023
Registered charity no: 1042751
The promotion of the Holy Rosary has been the main principle of the charity and the rosary cards produced have travelled far and wide. Crown of Thorns rosary cards, rosary packs, reconciliation cards, along with items donated through the generosity of parishes and individuals, support the work of priests and chaplains in a multitude of circumstances and continue to reach out to comfort and console the downtrodden, the imprisoned, the sick and those at sea.
This year we have sent five main shipments to needy diocese. All shipment items have arrived safely and there has been great joy and appreciation for all the items sent. We have been asked to thank all donors who have contributed items and funds to make this assistance possible.
To the diocese of Kumasi in Ghana:
Amongst the donated items sent were religious reading and study books, statues for churches, linen and ecclesiastical items. Also, rosary cards and other devotional items to be used across the diocese, in churches, schools and seminaries.
Harare Archdiocese Zimbabwe:
In January we sent items including rosary and prayer cards, cassocks, candlesticks and mass sets for parish use. Mass sets are particularly useful for the rural parishes. Baby blankets for the sisters to use in the orphanages, bandage cloth for clinic and hospital use.
A second shipment to Harare this year included rosary cards and rosaries for diocesan use. We also sent vestments and cassocks which had been donated to the charity. These have been very much appreciated.
Oyo diocese Nigeria:
In August 2022 we sent a consignment including religious books for diocesan use, many for seminary studies. Vestments and statues for the parishes, catechism and rosary cards, rosaries and donated statues. In the spring of 2023 we sent another shipment to Oyo which included donated overhead projectors, educational books for school use, cloth to enable the sisters to make baby blankets for their orphanages and for the poor families, and some items from the now closed St. John’s seminary, Wonersh, including large stainless steel tea and coffee pots and devotional items. We also sent church music books for use in a music project started by the bishop, and crutches.
Bishop Emmanuel Badejo writes:
“I repeat my appreciation for the consignments you have sent me. Only yesterday I have helped two desperate people with some of the crutches you sent. Their prayers will surely reach you and reach the donors of the items. You have been a constant reminder of the resurrection to us. Thank you for everything.”
Ekiti diocese Nigeria:
Crown of Thorns sent a consignment of rosary and catechism cards to the sisters of St. Michael the Archangel in Ekiti diocese, for their work in schools in the diocese.
Sr. Beatrice writes:
“I am happy and delighted to inform you that I have received all the cartons with the contents there in today. Sincerely words are not enough to express my heartfelt gratitude to you at Crown of Thorns. I appreciate and thank you so much.”
Support for the homeless:
The homeless have been supported through donation of items in store or purchase of items required, including the supply of new underwear and warm and comfortable trousers. We have also supplied bulk frozen food items for the kitchens at Crawley Open House Centre. This has been very greatly appreciated.
Finance:
We have been grateful for all donations, no matter how small. A legacy has made a real difference to our ability to reprint cards this year, to support the work of chaplains. In the last months we have reprinted some 200,000 cards enabling many requests to be fulfilled.
We have continued to be able to run the charity through skilled volunteers, allowing donations to be used in entirety for the work in hand.
We thank all those who make the work of Crown of Thorns possible through the support of financial donations, and through the gifting of items into our care for rehoming. Above all we thank you for your prayers.
Crown of Thorns: Registered charity 1042751
CROWN OF THORNS nances for year 1st April 2022 - 31st March 20
| for year ended 31/3/22 Statement of Financial Activities |
1 Donations are either from someone who knows the work of the charity, or from a person receiving religious items from the charity making a donation 2 3 4 Single legacy 5 The main aim of the charity is to send religious prayer cards and items to poor 6 7 8 9 These are printed prayer cards and rosaries to go with them, and items requested by churches in Africa. There are no salary charges, as all work is carried out by the trustees and volenteers free of charge, admin expenditure is office suplies and advertising. Charity maintenance. These are one off payments for specific religious projects of special need The purchase of specific religious items one of the main criteria for the charity. countries (mainly Africa states) and religious furniture donated from parishes in the UK to furnish churches in these countries. Interest from the charity's bank account This is revenue generated from the sale at cost or slightly above of religious items. All donations are gift aided whenever possible. Notes £29,383 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Notes 1 2 3 4 5 Charitable support 6 Religious supplies 7 Administration 8 Maintenance 9 over expenditure Closing reserves Surplus of income over expenditure Opening reserves Surplus of income Total expenditure Expenditure Charitable Expenditure Total income Legacy Inland revenue gift aid Sales of religious items Interest Income Donations |
2022-23 | |
| £11,970 | ||
| £5,566 £712 |
||
| £17,413 | ||
| £0 | ||
| £35,661 | ||
| £3,553 £1,292 £13,592 £2,788 £502 |
||
| £21,728 | ||
| £13,933 £110,806 £13,933 |
||
| £124,739 | ||