Garrett’s Charity Annual Report December 2025
Presented at the Annual Parish Meeting, Heighington 27[th] April 2026
Garrett’s Charity Number: 1053847
Background
Garrett’s Charity dates back to around 1620 when Thomas Garrett a local man left money and land in his will for the founding of a boys’ school in the private chapel he had owned in Heighington, which has late Norman origins. The buildings we know as the Heritage Rooms today were built in 1865 as a major refurbishment and expansion of the premises. The funds to build the school rooms came from the former Thomas Garrett Apprenticing Charity and the former Sir Edward Clarke’s Charity which both had educational purposes in their objects. The new schoolrooms housed the village boys’ school until 1976. Both the chapel and Heritage Rooms continue to be owned by Garrett’s Charity. It is unusual for a functioning community chapel to be under independent charity ownership, which makes this building in the heart of our community both distinctive and special. The premises are grade II listed (No. 1360209). The charity maintains The Thomas Garrett Heritage Rooms and St Thomas’ Chapel of Ease for the benefit of the community. It promotes both education and inclusion through use of the premises.
Whilst the charity is very old, the current governing document was registered with the Charity Commission in 1995 and slightly amended in 2020. The 2020 amendment was to allow for co-option of two additional local residents onto the local Trustee board to give a potential complement of nine. The Lincoln Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd is the Custodian Trustee of the charity.
During 2025 further work on revising the governing document to more accurately reflect the current use of the Heritage Rooms as a community building has been ongoing. This does not affect the operation of the Chapel.
Principal charity address
Garrett’s Charity c/o 9 Washingborough Road, Heighington, Lincoln LN4 1QW
Trustees serving during 2025
In 2025 David Trafford was co-opted as a Trustee (June), Chris Sprigg joined as the second PCC nominated Trustee (June) and the new incumbent Yüce Kabakçi joined the board in July. There was therefore a full complement of Trustees from July as follows: D E Chantler (Chairman), C J Dunning (Secretary), N J Eyre (Treasurer), G J Chard, N J Briscoe, C R Oxby, Y Kabakçi, C D Sprigg and D J Trafford.
Finances
The charity’s main routine source of income is from hire of the Heritage Rooms to community groups which in 2025 amounted to £7,100. This was slightly lower than the previous year and can be attributed to the fact that the Car Boot sale scheduled for June and the Arts & Crafts Exhibition planned for October did not go ahead this year. The Friends of the Garrett’s Charity manage the bookings on a day-to-day basis on behalf of Garrett’s Charity. The activities undertaken there include glass making, felt work, needlework, art groups, woodcarving, coffee mornings, drama, dance, willow weaving, Tai-Chi, and a community choir. These activities reflect the educational emphasis of the original benefaction.
Donations from the local community have included one-off gifts, sponsorship of roof slates as part of an appeal, regular giving and a cash collection box at Anderson’s butchers. The charity is registered with HMRC for Gift Aid and has also registered on digital giving platform: crowdfunder.co.uk. Legacy giving is encouraged. The 100 Club (a monthly prize draw) again proved successful in 2025.
www.garrettscharity.org.uk
Garretts Charity Annual Report 2025
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Other fundraising initiatives operating during 2025 included aluminium recycling and the Smarties© Challenge (where participants are invited to fill empty tubes with loose change.) Unfortunately the scheme ended in December as the scrap merchant is no longer accepting cans.
Finances: Roof Appeal
The Quinquennial Report undertaken in 2023 highlighted the poor condition of the roof. Following granting of Listed Building Consent in December 2024 considerable effort was made to raise funds. We have been blessed with significant donations, support from local businesses and support from local grant funders. In September 2025 the Chapel of Ease was reroofed and the internal ceilings insulated, which was a significant milestone. The challenge for 2026 is to move on to undertake similar work on the Heritage Rooms. The cost is estimated to be in the region of £120,000. In addition to grant funding we are hopeful that the local community will rally together to secure the future of this valuable distinctive historic asset at the heart of the village.
In 2025 as part of our roof appeal the charity was successful in applying for grants from local funders as follows:
Michael Cornish Foundation (Lincoln) £5,000 BNA CIO (Lincoln) £10,000 Washingborough with Heighington PCC £12,000 Heighington Parish Council £1,000 Lincolnshire Churches Trust £4,000 North Kesteven District Council £3,000
We express our sincere thanks to those grant funders, individuals and numerous local businesses for their generosity during 2025.
Work on the chapel roof was eligible for a refund of VAT through the Government Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. This has returned £11,680 to the charity, which may now be deployed towards subsequent phases of the roof project.
The Annual Accounts are attached to this report. Overall income in 2025 was £87,276 and expenditure was £87,354.
The modest capital funds of the charity are invested in CCLA COIF Charities Ordinary Investment Fund which provides valuable income and an emergency reserve for the charity.
The Annual Accounts to 31[st] December 2025 were examined by Nicholas Oakes . We are grateful for his help.
The Trustees are grateful to the Friends of the Garrett’s Charity for their support and particular thanks go to the Friends Management Committee for their dedication.
Current Trustees :
D E Chantler (Chairman C R Oxby C J Dunning (Secretary) Y Kabakçi G J Chard C D Sprigg N J Briscoe D J Trafford
Declaration
The Trustees declare that this report was approved at a meeting of the Trustees on 10[th] February 2026 .
www.garrettscharity.org.uk
Garretts Charity Annual Report 2025
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Gur•tf¥ Cbirlty 1053847 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For th• perlod from 11112025 3111W2025 Section A Receipts and payments 2025 Unr•¥trlet•d funds R••trICt fund¥ Endowm•nt funds t•th• n•4r••tÉ Totsl fund• L•8t y•ar toth• n•4r•itÉ lo th• n•Jr•¥t totho fdW•¥tf tDth• nw••t£ A1 R•c•l PUNIC Donations Grant Hei lon Parish Coundl Grant Wash with Hol hPCC Grant FrndS of The Garretls Chari Grants Other Room Hire IOD Club Rèc Fundraisin Evenls & Intr"alwes inc metsl Direct ments for use of remises Dwklènds COIF Oiher recei Sub toto1(Gross income forAR) A2 A¥sot 8nd Inv•81m•nt sal•$ Sales of Invtstments 447 19,063 19.510 2,5$1 ti.000 111 23,9D8 13W9 121 754 327 7,101 2,03 7,101 2,05 48S 7.373 2,338 08 441 5&7 2.174 1fj.449 30,744 2,171 1¢.449 87276 2311 453 18,743 Sub total 24,2B6 111,$62 A3Pa ment• Pr8ml86s rnaintenance PrémL8&8 im rovements Caretakin seIC@S Insurance Elacrric CO818 Water co$1& Professional cha Grounds malnlenanca & im 100 aub Pa ents Printin Costs 437 437 $9.775 1,S75 1,575 &554 321 2,724 374 321 2.#B2 970 20fy 970 11.9•8 39,7B6 293 Sub totsl 47.568 87,354 A4 Assot and Inv••tm•nt Purth•Bbs of Inv8Btrnents Sub tot• 87W4 Net of re¢elpts/(payments) AS Tron8f•rs betweèn fvnds A6 Ca•h lunds lasl y?•r •nd Cash funds thls year end 15,243 X208 8,983 14,941 30,184 6,064 15.028 21,OQ3 44213 12.022 21,005 CCXX R1 aG¢ounls {SS) 1510112026
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unr6strictod Restricted lunds 10 n•4r•t£ Endowment to rwar4t£ 81 Cash fvnds UThtyTtLth¢Vff8ntAcjfil 4,671 UAtyTnJslD9pp¥t Acayjnt 25,313 10,0 Total cash funds 30,184 15.028 o¢counUsll UnrestrlGt•d funds R•strlcted funda Endowment funds to Details oplion•ll Curfwttv4lu• 56.421 83 Inv•$tmont assets COIF Fund Unrestrthd Fund to whbch ••••t b•lon Cwr•ntv4lu• loOrt} B4 Aswts retslned for thè charlty's own u¥• 111 St Thons Chwl121 HerNage Rwrns Futhfi Ptrmsnènt E[0¥¥M0rrt £4.73m IjD6uran¢è vduel Fund to whkh UabMI un#8 onal E1.020 Imaxlmuml 85 Llabllitl•s E>¥d 1W aub Iwnonottskenl Sign6d by one orlwo tnJstse8 on of Print Name Dale of a roval 1SIAhJ2026 CCXX R2 accounts (SS} 1510112026
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to th trust0MeMb•r8 of l GARRETfs CHARITY On accounts for th8 year I •nd•d i Charity no {if any) 2025 1053847 Set out on pages 1 to 3 l port lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity I'the Trusl-l for the year ended 31° Derntser 2025. RèsponsibklitiÈs and As the charty tftjsttrs of the Trust. you are responsib for IhÈ prÈparalion basis of report of the accounts in accordance wrth the requifwnents of the Charities Ad 2011 1.the Act"). I report in respecl of my examinatKJn of the Trust's accounts carried out undei section 145 of the 2011 Act and in Carrying out my examination. I have folbwed Ihe applicable Directions given by the Charrty Commission under seCtn 145(5llbl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirn that no material mallers have come to my attention I ') In connection with the èxaninab.on which gives me cause to believe that in. any maleri81 respecl". accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the A¢i. or the accounts do not accord wrth the accoLtnts"ng records Independent examiner's statemènt I have no concerns and have CMe across no other matters in connection with the examinabon lo which attenlion should be drawn in order lo enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets rf they do not apply Signed: i Date: Name.. Relovant pmf8ssional qualificationlsl or body lif any): Address: I IER
Section B Disclosure Only complete Il the examiner needs lo highlight matters ol ¢on¢ern (see CC32, Independent exanination of charity nIS.. directn5 and guidance foi examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER
Checklist for Indendent Examination of Charty Accounts Garre$ Charity (105384712025 Confimed that Garrett's Charty income is bebjw £250.000 for the year lo be examined. Confimied Ihal Garrett's Chanty is eligible fcK indyndenl examinabon. Confimed that Garrett's Chanty operates receipts and payynents accounls. Confirmed that there are no dose personal relationships with the trustees that com ronise inde ndence. There are no circumstances that wouhj tead to the perc8ption that the examiner is not inde endenl. Considered whethér suffiaently skilled to cary out the examinatton. Eviden of appointrnent is on Ne. Received a copy of Gairett's Charty Scheme 1995 lanended 2020). Received a copy of Ihe draft Annual Report 2025. Accounting records have en kept and are cc*npte and conshlwed to be of the re uired standard. Asked trustees abcmjt how they ensufe the accounting records aTe complete. Asked trustees rf they have camed OLbt a rev of GarTett'5 Charrty's inlemal financial contro15 in the earr rted. Compared the accounts and the undertying a¢Unn9 records. Confirned that restrtedIdegnSted funds are correctly reported in the accounts. Asked the trustees whether they expect GarretY5 Charrty lo be ats to settle outslandin Invoices. bills and c(#mmrtmenls as and when the fall due. Asked the trustees about the reserves FKJlicy and the adequacy of the Ve1 of reserves held. Cairied out an analyti(al vIew". seleclet1 malenals have supporting evKlence. Compared the draft Annual Report 2025 wrth the accounls for any material inconsisten Considered whether there are any matters of corKern that shoukj be reported in the examiner s Te Section B Disclosure above . Considered whelher there are any matters of materkil concern lo be rewJrted lo the Chari Commission. IER