## **The Chester Clergy Family Charitable Trust** ## **Registered Charity Number 1079645** **Bishops’ House, 1 Abbey Street, Chester CH1 2JD** ## **Trustees during the year to 30[th] September 2025** The Rt Revd Dr Mark Tanner, Bishop of Chester Ms Julie Withers The Rt Revd Julie Conalty, Bishop of Birkenhead The Revd Simon Drew The Rt Revd Sam Corley, Bishop of Stockport The Revd Georgina Watmore Canon Dr John Mason Mrs Ruth Williams Mrs Sandy Verity Mrs Sarah Holmes David Briggs CVO MBE KStJ The Revd Tina Upton ## **Trustees’ Report** ## **Context and Objectives** The Trust is constituted under a Trust Deed dated 12 October 1999. The objects of the Trust are: 1. The relief of need, hardship and distress among the families of clergy and of licensed lay workers of the Church of England for the time being serving in the Diocese of Chester. 2. The promotion of the education of the families of clergy and of licensed lay workers of the Church of England for the time being serving in the Diocese of Chester, and who are in financial need. 3. The promotion of family life and recreation of the clergy and of licensed lay workers of the Church of England for the time being serving in the Diocese of Chester and their families, and who are in financial need. The appointment and make-up of Trustees is set out in the Trust Deed. It provides for three exofficio and between four and ten co-opted trustees (who are appointed by the other Trustees). The Deed requires that a majority of the co-opted Trustees are lay people. In exercising their duties, the Trustees have complied with the duty in section 4 of the 2006 charities act to have due regard to guidance on public benefit published by the Commission. ## **An Overview of the Year (1st October 2024 – 30th September 2025)** The financial statements attached to this report are drawn up in a receipts and payments basis. They show that in the year to 30 September 2025, the Trust received donations totalling £26,006. With investment income, interest and tax repayments, the total income of the charity for the year was £39,570. There was an unrealised gain in the value of marketable investments of £5,603. The amount given in grants from the Trust was £27,653. 16 grants were made following applications (an average of £1,728 per grant). Applications requested financial assistance for the following areas; - Educational costs including supporting clergy families in paying for uniforms, extracurricular activities, educational items, additional tutoring and travel costs for students. - Recreational activities (various) - Assistance with vehicle repair costs - General day to day living costs with the continued cost of living crisis - Relief for clergy families relating to illness. - Assistance with emergency travel costs relating to family matters - Assistance with Sabbatical costs - Removal costs ## **Reserves** The Trustees are content that reserves should be held at a level sufficient to deal with any likely funding for immediate grants. ## **Meetings** The Trustees met twice during the year: on Tuesday 18th February 2025 (at which the 2024 accounts were approved); and on Wednesday 28[th] May 2025 at Bishop’s House. Some Trustees joined these meetings by video link. ## **Approved by the Trustees at its meeting on ?? 2026 and signed on their behalf by ??** On behalf of the Trustees, The Rt Revd Dr Mark Tanner Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Chester Clergy Family Charitable Trust I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Chester Clergy Family Charitable Trust (the Trust) for the year ended 30 September 2025. Responsibllitles and basis of report As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111'the Act'l. 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 all the appllcable Directions given by the Charlty Commission under section 145lSllbl of the Act. Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my atterstion in connection with the exomination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act,. or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records: or the accoL*nts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts Set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examinatlon. I have no concerns and have come across no other matter5 in connection with the examitbation to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Name.. Canon Dr Alan Martin Smlth Addre55'. 22 Green Hill Road. Kelsall, Tarporley. Cheshire CW6 OSN Date: 7 March 2026 In r* *4