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← Solihull And District Hebrew Congregation

2025-02-28-accounts

ב״ה

Solihull & District Hebrew Congregation Trustee’s Annual Report and Accounts

For the year ended 29th February 2025

Registered Charity No. 1100938

Solihull and District Hebrew Congregation Registered Charity No. 1100938 3 Monastery Drive Solihull West Midlands B91 1DW 0121 706 8736 office@solihullshul.org

HOLDING TRUSTEES:

Mr Jon Gouldman Mr Malcolm Hyams Dr Gerald Langman

BANKERS:

Lloyds Bank PLC The Priory Queensway Birmingham B4 6BP

MINISTER:

Rabbi Yehuda Pink

PRESIDENT:

Barclays Bank PLC 25 High Street Coventry, CVl 5QZ

Mr J Gouldman

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL:

Mrs M Bateman Mr M Hyams Dr G Langman Mrs A Stone Mr G Stone Ex officio: Mr J Gouldman

TSB Bank 134 New Street Birmingham B2 4NS

Trustees:

The Trustees named on page one have served throughout the year unless indicated otherwise.

Appointment of Trustees is governed by the Constitution of the charity. The Board of Trustees is authorised to appoint new Trustees to fill vacancies arising from resignation or death of an existing Trustee.

The Constitution authorises the Trustees to make or hold investments in the general funds of the charity.

Description of Organisation:

The Solihull and District Hebrew Congregation was founded in 1963 and was registered with the Charity Commission on 28th November 2003 under registration number 1100938. The constitution was last updated and modified on 3rd September 2015.

Constitution, objectives, policies and public benefit:

The Charity is governed by a constitution and its objectives are:

i. The advancement of the Jewish Religion to include provision and maintenance of a place of orthodox Jewish worship.

ii. Provision of education to adults and children in the heritage, culture and language of Judaism.

iii. Provision of welfare and social support for Jewish people.

We have an open door policy for all our activities welcoming both members and people with no affiliation. Further details of our activities for the benefit of the public particularly in the area of community cohesion can be found later in this report.

The policy of the Charity continues to be to seek additional finance and support in order to enable it to continue and expand its objectives and activities.

The Charity’s main sources of income are from members’ subscriptions, donations and grants received from charitable trusts.

Reserves:

The trustees regularly review the free reserves available to meet day to day expenses. Funds that are received for a specific purpose are ring-fenced for that purpose. We currently have three restricted reserve accounts. The Coventry Burial Fund which may only be used for the costs of burial of people enrolled in the fund, the Building Fund to cover the costs of planned refurbishment and any emergency repairs and the Eric Samuels Legacy Fund. The trustees have identified a target of free reserves equal to six months operating expenses to ensure that any short term downturn in income will not cause undue harm to the day to day operations of the charity and to allow an orderly winding up of affairs should the charity no longer be viable. We currently have £71,000 of free reserves this is slightly higher than last year and we will continue to work to gradually raise our free reserves to the target level of six months operating expenses.

Fund Raising

The charity’s fundraising is primarily carried out by the Rabbi and members of the Council, through direct approaches to individuals and other charitable trusts. The Charity has signed up to the Fundraising Regulator to ensure that we follow best practice. In 2024-25, the fundraising objectives were met. No complaints were received about the nature of fundraising carried out on behalf of the Charity.

Grants were received from the following Charitable Trusts and foundations. The Arnold Clark Foundation, Heart of England Community Foundation, Solihull Metropolitan Council Household Support Fund, The Baron Davenport Foundation, The J Davies Charity, The We Are All Making A Difference Trust, Birmingham Jewish Community Care, The CST on behalf of The Governments Jewish Community Protective Security Fund, The Warwickshire Free Masons Charity, VCSE Groundworks, Harry Payne Fund, Delapage Coventry & Warwickshire Access Fund.

The Trustees are grateful to all the benefactors whose generous contributions remain an important element in the ability of the charity to continue its work.

Changes in policy:

The Charity’s policies have remained the same throughout the year.

Organisational structure and Management of the Charity:

The Management of the Charity is vested in the Council which is comprised of five members elected for a period of two years. The members of the council have experience in a wide variety of fields and posses a broad range of knowledge and expertise that is of great help in the management of our affairs. The management members are elected by the membership in General Meeting. The members of the Council give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits.

To assist in the smooth running of the charity there are a number of sub-committees that report back to the council and help them oversee certain aspects of the charity’s work. The membership of the sub-committees reflects the particular skills that members of the Council can bring to the work of the charity. These sub-committees report back with their recommendations to the full meeting of the Council.

The Trustees and the Rabbi meet regularly to discuss any relevant matters and to determine which matters need to be placed before Council, and to keep the Council informed of all matters concerning the charity. The Council meet together as a body bi-monthly and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to the running of and activities provided by the charity. The day-to-day management of the Community Centre and projects are delegated to staff.

Charity Governance Code

The third edition of the code for charities was published in July 2017. The code lays out seven key areas of governance together with recommended practice for each principle. The Trustees & Council have considered each principle to satisfy themselves that the Charity’s current governance structure explained below satisfactorily addresses each of these principles and, where appropriate, what enhancements might be made. We have also registered with Charity Excellence and earned the Charity Excellence Framework Quality Mark in recognition of the robustness of our policies, procedures and how these are implemented.

Risk Management and Child Protection Policies:

The trustees have examined the major strategic, business and operational risks that the charity faces and confirm that systems have been established to enable regular reviews to be carried out so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen these risks. All our policies have been reviewed this year and where necessary updated to ensure that they comply with legal requirements and our operational realities.

In particular, insurance cover is in place and the finances of the charity are kept under review. Appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, supported by regularly reviewed policies, are made for all those who work with children or other vulnerable groups within the Community Centre. All volunteers who work with children or vulnerable adults undergo training and hold certificates confirming that they have received the level of training appropriate to their work.

The charity has appointed a suitably trained member of staff to act as Senior Safeguarding Officer for both children and vulnerable adults.

All new employees and volunteers are given an induction into the charities policies and procedures and existing employees and volunteers all undertake an annual review of all policies that are applicable to them. Copies of all are policies are kept in a folder that is available for public inspection in the office of the Community Centre.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities:

The Trustees are required under the Charities Act 1993 and the constitution of the charity to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its results for the period. In preparing those financial statements the Trustees are required to:

(d) Prepare the financial statements in accordance with all applicable financial reporting standards, statements of standard accounting practice and charity statements of recommended practice.

Review of Activities:

We have continued to work in accordance with the stated aims of the charity, which are promoting Jewish worship, education, community welfare and social support. Our activities can broadly be divided into two categories. Those that service the religious and spiritual needs of our members and those of a cultural and social nature which on the whole are non-denominational and open to all-comers. Our community welfare and social support activities are non-denominational and are kept separate from the religious side of our activities. In order to safeguard this distinction we maintain separate bank accounts for our various activities that are overseen by a separate management committee and are managed by their own treasurer. As they all fall under the main charity mandate each of these groups reports back regularly to the trustees.

The trustees have reviewed the objectives and activities of the charity to ensure they continue to reflect our aims. In carrying out this review the trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular its supplementary public guidance on the advancement of religion for the public benefit.

Finances:

Our accounts are prepared on an accruals basis in compliance with the SORP. Our accounts include a consolidated account for the four funds operating under the umbrella of SDHC, Synagogue, Ladies Guild, Thursday Club and Tzedokah Fund. These accounts were set up to allow the non denominational activities of the charity to be clearly separated from the religious activities We have also included a separate break down of the income and expenditure for each fund.

The Coventry Burial Fund is valued at £48,886, the Building Fund at £26,500 the E Samuels Legacy Fund at £35,000 after deducting the fixed expenses that we are committed to and will be incurring over the next year we have a free reserve of £71,000. Bearing in mind the need for prudence and low risk the funds are deposited in interest bearing bank accounts backed by the FSCS.

Our headline figures show that we broke even this year with a very small surplus of £551. We have put in place a number of measures to ensure that next year we once again break-even. We expect to see a significant reduction in utility costs following a number of energy efficiency measures that have been put in place including better insulation, low energy lighting and solar panels. We have also increased income from car park rental.

We have continued to expand the sources of our income to reduce reliance on membership subscriptions, with 80% of our income coming from other sources. With an ageing population and the general move amongst the younger generation towards ‘pay as you go’ rather than a membership relationship this move away from relying on membership income is becoming increasingly important.

Our non-denominational work is carried out under the umbrella of the Thursday Club this shows a deficit of £4,428. Primarily due to a large reduction in funding due to the end of the Government funded Household Support Fund. As a result we have had to scale back some of our work supporting the elderly and vulnerable however we have been careful to do so in a manner that will allow us to scale up again if we receive the necessary funds.. Fortunately the excellence of our work has been recognised by a number of charitable foundations and we have been successful in attracting a significant amount of funding from charitable trusts which has allowed us to mitigate some of the impact of the funding cuts and enabled us to continue this vital area of our activities.

The Kol Nidrei appeal has continued to play an important role in our overall budget . We have been successful in expanding the appeal to past members and friends of the community who have moved away from Solihull but retain a connection with the community. Our current agreement with Renault who rent a section of our car park is still in place providing another income stream with zero overheads. We have other companies interested in taking Renault’s place should they decide to end the agreement. In line with the decision of the Trustees that we should have six months operating capital set aside as a reserve we have funds invested in two zero risk fixed interest accounts backed by the FSCS. The Trustees and Council have taken the view that the reserve is essential to our long term future and that security of the capital is of paramount importance and therefore have eschewed the chance of higher rate of return from investments that are not 100% secure. It is the aim of the Trustees and Council to continue building up this reserve recognising that as the community ages our income might reduce and that the level of grant funding received will vary from year to year and cannot be taken as a given. The reserve will allow us to continue to operate and provide services to the Solihull community for the foreseeable future.

On the other accounts, each of the separate divisions are self financing and managed independently of the main shul account. Each fund has tried to build a small reserve to help cope with short term fluctuations in income. Our finances have allowed the Council to freeze membership subscriptions at the same level as last year. We hope that careful management of our finances will balance the

books each year.

Overall we are satisfied that we are in a reasonable financial position at the end of our 2025 financial year. We have a small surplus in the bank to cover four months of expenditure in case of emergencies. We will continue to seek ways to broaden our revenue stream to further reduce our dependence on membership subscriptions.

We believe the charities finances are on a stable footing for the immediate future, however we cannot be complacent and must recognise that there is likely to be an increased demand for our activities and services with a diminishing income stream in the next few years. At the time of writing this report we are struggling as most charities are with the massive increase in energy and raw material costs and an increase in demand for support. We are fortunate that the excellence of our work has been recognised by a number of charities which has enabled us to continue to operate. We received funding which has allowed us to upgrade the energy efficiency of our building and to install solar panels and other energy efficiency measures to reduce the impact of the rising energy costs. This will have an additional benefit of reducing our carbon footprint and ensuring we become more environmentally friendly. We are also continuing to explore a number of options to ensure that we are able to guarantee the long term financial security of the community.

Area of Operation:

As the closest organised Jewish Community which retains the services of a Rabbi we are often called upon to provide support to Jews in an extremely wide geographical area, which includes in addition to Solihull, Coventry, Leamington, Malvern, Ross on Wye, Stratford, Warwick and Worcester as well as a host of smaller towns and villages.

We open our activities to all-comers irrespective of whether or not they are formally affiliated with the Solihull Jewish Community. We are often called upon to provide help to visiting Jewish businessmen and tourists.

Review of Activities

Community Cohesion

Our Community centre has been used by a number of community groups over the year. We also continue to be registered with Solihull Metropolitan Council to allow our Community Centre to be used by the authorities in the case of an emergency requiring accommodation, office space etc. To ensure that our facility is a welcoming place for all users we have embarked on an extensive programme of refurbishment.

Rabbi Pink is involved in many different organisations, serving as Chaplain or sitting on advisory committees to local hospitals, prisons, SACRE, Solihull Faiths Forum, Safer Solihull Board and Birmingham International Airport Multi Faith Support Team. This has helped to promote a better understanding of the needs of the Jewish citizens of Solihull and also to promote

The Mayor of Solihull & Her Consort with Rabbi & Rebbetzen Pink at Solihull Menorah Lighting

harmonious relationships amongst the various ethnic groups that live in Solihull. Rabbi Pink again played a central part in the National Holocaust Day Service organised by Solihull Council.

We were delighted to be able to hold our annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony during the Festival of Chanukah with the participation of the Mayor of Solihull. This event highlights the importance of freedom of religion and mutual respect and tolerance.

Rabbi Pink has developed a close working relationship with West Midlands Police and members of the local neighbourhood police team and he has worked with them on a number of initiatives to reduce racist behaviour in the borough. A fixture in our calendar is a Civic Service to thank Councillors, Council workers, NHS and members of WMP and WMFS for their work.

The Stanley Middleburgh library has continued to be in great demand, we are fortunate to have a wonderful team of volunteers who have happily delivered items to peoples homes.

Our Judaica store is a valuable facility that is used by Jews and non Jews seeking a source where they can purchase cards, books and Judaism related items as well as expert advice. This resource is greatly appreciated by local schools looking to boost their RE department.

We are proud to be part of the Solihull Food-bank Network which has allowed us to work in close collaboration with other organisations in the area that are helping those in need.

Communications and PR:

Our newsletter, Hakol has continued to play a valuable role in communicating details of our activities to our members and supporters. Graham Stone, our advertising manager and has been successful in increasing the revenue that we generate through advertising, which ensures that this aspect of our work is self funding. This full colour 60 page magazine is distributed to over 350 families. We also produce a calendar in partnership with Chabad of Solihull which is distributed to 300 families across the Midlands. This serves as a resource for those looking for information about activities and events taking place throughout the year.

We have increased the number of our members and supporters who receive information via email helping us cut down on stationery and postage costs and helping us meet our commitment to reduce the environmental impact of our activities where possible. We continue to keep in touch with the elderly members of the community who are unable to venture out by phoning them up or paying them a visit.

Our weekly email bulletin is received and read by an increasing number of our members and friends, we also maintain a regularly updated website. Our Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter Feed is managed by Chana Miriam Golub and is another important tool in ensuring that as large a group as possible are aware of our activities and services. We receive a large amount of enquiries as a result of visits to our website.

Our activities have been featured in a number of media outlets both locally and nationally in the UK as well as abroad.

Improving our Green Credentials

As a result of an approach from Austin Rodriguez of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council we underwent an energy audit of our community centre which produced a number of recommendations to reduce our carbon footprint.

Thanks to a government grant via VCSE/GWUK we were able to install an array of 64 solar panels and 3 storage batteries, an air-source mixenergy

hot water system an airsource heatpump inverter heating system, cavity wall insulation and \= together with a grant previously received from CIL we were also >Sy able to install low 3 ‘e " ee ‘= our newly installed solar panels energy LED lighting and insulate " iT ; OLENA ) ie the ceiling. We now have one of the greenest community ya | { centres in Solihull which has reduced our carbon footprint and lowered our utility bills. 1 | =e

Religious & Educational Services:

We hold regular prayer services that are open to anyone who wishes to attend irrespective of affiliation.

installation of mixenergy heat pump Every event in the Jewish

Calendar was marked with a communal activity. 250 Boxes of Shmurah Matzah, 250 cheesecakes prior to Shavuos, 250 Rosh Hashona boxes complete with honey cake and apple and honey and 250 Chanukah kits containing all the items needed to celebrate the festival were delivered by our wonderful team of volunteers to families in the region. In addition we held festive meals at our Community Centre S with a record number attending the Pesach Seder. None of these would have been possible without the work carried out on a voluntary basis by Rebbetzen Dinie Pink which has allowed us to provide top class events at a fraction of the price it would otherwise cost to organise.

taking the opportunity to pray

We were extremely fortunate to once again retain the services ———eal . of Chazan Zali Rodal, ably assisted by Daniel Littlestone for the High Holydays and their melodious singing and lively tunes had everyone tapping their feet and singing along.

Rabbi Pink continued to broadcast a weekly zoom message every Friday, following which participants were able to chat with each other. Many new friendships have developed as a result of this initiative.

Education has continued to be a central plank of our work and there are learning opportunities for all ages and skill levels virtually every day of the week. In total there are eight classes every week. Most of these classes take place face to face but they have all continued on Zoom as well, one of

the positive benefits was that it allowed many people who lived to far away to be able to participate normally to join in.

The week starts with Bagels Lox & Torah at 10.00 am on Sunday morning, a 30 minute breakfast and discussion of an issue of Jewish law or tradition, this is open to men and women and is ideal for someone who is unable to attend classes during the week.

The Retired Gentlemen’s Shiur on Tuesday Morning, Ladies Discussion Group on a Wednesday Morning, the Shiur on Jewish Philosophy for Ivrit Speakers on Wednesday evening, the Saturday morning Shiur provide a variety of opportunities for every age range and level of learning.

A number of people have also sought to improve their knowledge by setting up one to one study sessions with the \ eA WO = = > rabbi. A Rabbi’s primary job is to teach and Rabbi Pink will Celebrating Passover happily accommodate anyone who wishes to further their knowledge of Judaism. We know that some people feel that they do not want to want to add to his already packed schedule but teaching Torah is the lifeblood of every Rabbi and he will always find time to fit in another learning opportunity.

Social Activities

The functions committee co-ordinates all the social functions organised by the community as well as ensuring that maximum use is made of the facilities that we have to offer as a community centre by other groups in the area. The pre-Pesach trip to London hosted by Paul & Koti Kay was a highlight in our social calendar. We held our annual summer BBQ in August and were delighted to be joined by our friends from Sheffield and Cardiff, everyone enjoyed a great afternoon. The event further strengthened our ties with neighbouring communities and fulfilled

Summer bbq with Cardiff & Sheffield

our aims of breaking down the generation gap building bonds between the different age groups It also resulted in a return trip to Cardiff.

The Loaves of Love challah baking sessions led by Rebbetzen Pink have run every month. One of the aims is to share the loaves with those who are unable to access fresh bread themselves.

We strive to be a very caring community, enjoying all the social aspects of the calendar as much as possible, so long may that continue!

London Trip at the Kay’s

The Thursday Club

The Thursday Club is the vehicle through which we deliver our Social Welfare Programmes, these are nondenominational and open to all irrespective of whether or not they are members of the community. Research by Age Concern found that over 10% of Senior Citizens see themselves as intensely lonely.

Our weekly lunch club provides a place where senior citizens can enjoy a freshly cooked hot nutritious meal, meet friends, forge new relationships and participate in a range of interesting enjoying bread baking and stimulating activities. We have been fortunate to host an array of guest speakers including the Mayor of Solihull, The High Sheriff of the West Midlands, The Head of Solihull Prep School and many others. We have also organised quizzes, art classes, gentle exercise classes, cookery and baking sessions as well as seminars on budgeting, safety at home, how to use modern technology, how to save energy and various other topics.

enjoying bread baking an array of

We have found that there are many elderly and vulnerable people who are housebound and our Home but not Alone programme provides fresh meals and volunteer visits to their homes.

Volunteers visited people throughout the region and ensured " f= S| ee te that their needs were catered to, whether that was supplying a go ee ad 4) a freshly cooked meal, collecting prescriptions and shopping or even just having a chat. This programme directed by —_ Rei 7 Rabbi & Rebbetzen Pink has been running every single week we gi | without fail since April 2020. Thousands of meals including enough chicken soup to fill a lake as well as sufficient food to feed a small army has - Se ‘a. Js been cooked, packed et Ni cle ; and delivered. In the past year we have a supplied Doughnut making staggering 12,819 freshly cooked meals. We are extremely grateful to Solihull Council HSF funding that has allowed us to support so any people who are in dire need of help. Mention must be made of our wonderful team of volunteers who have helped deliver the meals, between them they have driven 39,844 miles since the project was launched, with 9,026 miles driven this year!

We also work closely with other agencies such as Birmingham Jewish Community Care, Age UK, Hearing Dogs for the

Mark Penney speaking to the Thursday Club

Deaf etc. to ensure that the services provided by these agencies are properly signposted to our users.

We have forged particularly close ties with Birmingham Jewish Housing Association and are very grateful to Phil Linz, the chairman of BJHA for all his support.

The Thursday Club has continued to provide a beacon of light in the lives of many of our elderly members and friends.

We have continued to invest in new equipment to ensure that we are with the increased demand for fresh meals whether in

some of our delicious meals able to cope person at our club or delivered by our volunteers.

We are a member of the Solihull Foodbank Network, a forum set up by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council to promote collaboration between the various charities providing food support to people in Solihull. We have also a member of Neighbourly, an organisation that supports Charities and links them with local businesses. As a result we have partnered with the Sainsburys store in Dorridge and the Aldi store in Solihull and we receive weekly donations of surplus food from them. A big thank you to the volunteers who collect the donation from Sainsbury and Aldi every week.

Rabbi Pink has been extremely successful in raising funds, primarily from Charitable Trusts to support the rest of our activities. This year we

have received grants from The Arnold Clark Foundation, Heart of England Community Foundation, Solihull Metropolitan Council Household Support Fund, The Baron Davenport Foundation, The J Davies Charity, The We Are All Making A Difference Trust, Birmingham Jewish Community Care, The CST on behalf of The Governments Jewish Community Protective Security Fund and The Warwickshire Free Masons Charity, VCSE Groundworks, Harry Payne Fund, Delapage Coventry & Warwickshire Access Fund.

We have also received significant donations of food from Chevingtons Cheese and H Gross Butchers. With the rising costs of raw materials this support is vital to our ability to continue our work.

Our funds are managed separately to the main Shul funds ensuring that every penny raised for the Club is used to further the work of the Thursday Club.

Our work would not be possible without the help of our team of volunteers and we give our wholehearted thanks to our dedicated team of volunteers, many of whom are not members of the Solihull Community for their continued support. Particular mention must be made of our caretaker and security officer, Eric Harrison who consistently goes over and above the call of duty in his work for the community.

Spotlight on Our Volunteers: Adrienne Langman

Every successful community relies on the dedication and quiet determination of its volunteers — those who give their time, warmth, and energy simply because they care. This year, we are proud to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on Adrienne Langman, whose tireless contributions have been a cornerstone of our work for many years.

Adrienne embodies the spirit of chesed — kindness expressed in action. She approaches every task with grace, good humour, and an unflagging sense of responsibility. Her involvement extends far beyond any single role; she is often one of the last to leave acting as an invaluable support to Rebbetzen Dinie in all her endeavours.

In addition to her practical support, Adrienne is known for the warmth and compassion she brings to every interaction. She has been instrumental in building a sense of togetherness — offering comfort to those in need, remembering birthdays and milestones, and helping to maintain the friendly, family atmosphere that defines our congregation.

Her commitment reflects not only her personal dedication but also her belief in the enduring value of community. Adrienne’s volunteering reminds us that the strength of our congregation lies not only in its services and programmes but in the people who give of themselves to make it thrive.

On behalf of the Trustees and the entire community, we express our heartfelt thanks to Adrienne Langman for her outstanding service and for being a true example of what it means to give selflessly for the sake of others.

Adrienne Langman

Tzedokah Fund

The Tzedokah Fund has had a busy year. Our income is derived from donations to the tzedokah (charity collection) boxes in the Shul, private donations and gift aid where the donation was eligible. All donations received are allocated to general charitable use unless the donor has specifically asked for it to be ear marked for a specific purpose or project.

We have continued to support a variety of charitable causes both in response to appeals received and pro-actively when the Rabbi is made aware of an individual or family needing assistance. The privacy of all recipients is carefully protected to ensure that no one will ever refrain from requesting help due to a fear of the request become public knowledge.

The unrelenting rise in the cost of living has led to increased demand for assistance and we have distributed funds and food items throughout the year as well as before Festivals to people requiring assistance, offered short and medium term interest free loans to people in financial need, provided scholarships to young people wishing to pursue further education and helped families cope with the immediate aftermath of accidents, bereavement and natural disasters.

Summary of our achievements:

We have continued to increase the scope of our activities in the areas of Social Welfare, Adult Education and Social Cohesion and maintained our level of activities in all other areas. This has allowed us to deliver all our aims and objectives in a manner that surpasses expectations, we have increased the use of volunteers and have successfully implemented feedback from our users to further improve the quality of the services that we offer. With the aid of donations and grants we have been able to continue our programme of refurbishment of our community centre, particularly the facilities for the elderly and disabled.

We are confident that we are in a sufficiently healthy state to allow us to weather the cost of living crisis and continue to expand the work that we do.

Plans for the future:

The financial summary of the last financial year ended 28th February 2025 is attached.

This report was approved by the Trustees on17/11/2025 and signed on their behalf.

Gerald Langman

Malcolm Hyams

SOLIHULL AND DISTRicf HEBREW CONGREGATION Resistered Charity Number: 1100938 Accounts 28 FEBRUARY 2025

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS OF THE SOLIHULL AND DISTRicf HEBREW CONGREGATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28 FEBRUARY 2025 I report on the accounts for the year ended 28 February 2025 set out on pages 2 to 9. Res ctive res nslbllltles of trustees and examlner The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144121 of the Charities Act (the 2011 Artl and that an independent examination is needed. Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to an audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination. it is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act. Follow the procedures laid down in the general direttions given by the Charities Commission lunder section 1451Slb of the Act) state whether particular matter5 have come to my attention. Basis of inde ndent examlner's statement My examinatlon was carrled out in a¢¢ordance with general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes review of the accounting records kept by the tharity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanations from you as trustees conceming any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a true and fair view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ndent exaD)iner's statement I have completed my examination. I can confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements . {1) - to accountlnE records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act,. and - to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with the requirements of the Act and the Regulations have not been met: or 121- to which in my opinion , attention should be drawn In order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. I have no concerns and have come acros5 no matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Rlthard Gold FCA Independent examlner For and behalf of Barnett Ravenscroft Umlted Charterd Accountants 13 Portland Road Edgbaston Blrmlngham B16 9HN 29 August 2025 Page I

SOLIHULL AND DISTRICT HEBREW CONGREGATION SUMMARISED PROFIT AND LOSS FOR THE YEAR ENOED INCOME AND EXPENDITVftE ACCOUNT 28 FEBRUARY 2025 2025 Totsl 2024 Total INCOME Subscriptions Kol Nidrei Appeal Unrestricted Donations Bank Interest Gift Aid Restirted Donations Activities Unresticted Grants Resricted Grants Legacies 23.662 11,496 28,934 7,167 19,225 17,072 4,075 4,100 109,025 25,086 11,822 37.4146 3,959 22.737 27.794 5.163 125.543 6.lY)O 270.150 224.756 ratin activities to Functions and Fundraising Sale of Judaica Rent Received Advertsing Income nerate fvnds 3.255 1.618 iO.OL 1.230 16,103 286,253 2,530 12,665 1,420 16,624 241,380 Total Income EXPENDITURE Charitable Actlvltles Ministerial and Religiou5 Expenses Chazan Expenses Subscriptlons, Prlntlng and Advertising Cost of Judaica Affillated Fees Catering. Function and Charitable Artivities 12.266 5,500 640 3,377 385 54,358 76,526 34.640 6,130 1,201 4,013 385 71.129 117,498 Stspport Costs Refurbishment and Maintenance Energy Improvement works Ceilin8 repairs Equipment aeaning and Gardening Telephone. Internet and Postage Insurance Costs of Fundraising Motor. Travel and Volunteer Expenses Gas, Electricity and Water Administrartion and Secretarial Costs Salaries Libary Fund Training Accountancy fees Bank Charges Security Cost5 Burial Fund Charitable Payments Gifts and Presentations 16.537 57.732 4,493 2,892 8,672 4,299 3.252 50 1,164 11.349 14.7701 31.955 41,574 13,878 2.785 3,107 3,744 50 2.962 11.105 12,156 29,722 625 343 4,132 102 9,006 4,175 9,138 125 164,303 240,829 4.118 127 15.649 425 25,219 320 167,909 285.407 Total Expendlture IDeficlt)ISurplus In year 551 Page 2

SOIIHULL AND DisTricf HEBREW CONGREGATION CONSOLIDATED FINANaAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED INCOME AND EXPENDttURE ACCOU 28 FEBRUARY 2025 2025 Totsl 2024 Total RE El Synagogue Page 3 dies Guild Page 4 Tzedokah Page 5 Thursday Club Page 6 76,018 3.741 43,150 118,471 79,608 8,290 58.804 139,551 241,380 286,253 PAYMENTS Synagogue Page 3 Ladies Guild Page 4 Tzedokah Page 5 ThL¢rsday aub Page 6 76,956 3,370 37,604 122,899 96,061 7,426 54,458 127,462 240,829 285,407 Net loutflowl/inflow of funds 551 Wlthin the parent tharfty there are a number of subsldlèry activities that operate independently of the main account wlth thelr own bank account and treasurer. Namely* Ladies Guild, Tzedokah Fund, and Thursday aub. The detslled analysls of these accounts is attathed on pages S to 7 The attounts are prepared on the accnkib basls. Page 3

SOUHULL AND DISTRICT HEBREW CONGREGATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT 28 FEBRUARY 2025 2025 Totsl 2024 Total RECEIPTS Subscriptions Gift Aid Kol Nidrei Appeal Bank Interest Donations 23,662 9,088 11,496 7,167 1,579 52,992 25.086 14.264 11,822 3,959 1,834 56.965 Operatlng actlvltles to ienerate funds Functlons and Fundralslng Sale of Judaica Rent Received Advertising Income Restrirted Grants 3,255 1,618 10.000 1,230 6,540 22,643 2,530 12.665 1,420 6,402 23,026 Total Receipts 76,018 79,608 PAYMENTS Charitable Activities Ministerial and Religious Expenses Chazan Expenses Subscrlptions, Printing and Advertising Cost of Judaica Other Salarles Community Activities Costs of Fundraising 12,266 5,500 640 3,377 24,786 866 50 47,485 34.640 6,130 1,201 4,013 18,575 2.043 50 66,652 Support Costs Community Centre Refurbishment and Maintenante Cleaning and Gardening Telephone, Internet and Postage Insurance Gas, Electricity and Water Gifts and Presentatlons Accountancy fees Bank Charge5 Security Costs Burial Fund Affiliated Fees Travel Expenses (see note 3 below) Administrartion and Secretarial Costs 2,149 1,964 4,299 1.252 2,270 125 2.066 102 9,006 4,175 385 1581 1,736 29,471 76,956 1,719 155 3.107 1.744 2.030 320 2.059 127 15.649 425 385 591 1,098 29.409 96,061 T¢)tal Payments Net Surplus/(Defi¢ltl In year Transfers Bank and Cash Funds last year end Bank and Cash Funds this year end { 9381 16,433) 16,067 8,696 116,4S31 6,102 26,418 16,067 Notes l. Kol Nldrel Appeal Is an annual appeal held on the Jewlsh New Year Z. Chazan Is a Cantor hlred to help run the Jewish New Year S¢r¥l¢es 3. The negatlve fl8ure is due to the community minibus belng scrapped and the insurance company sendlng a refund for the premlum paid in the prevlous accounting year. Page 4

SOLIHULLAND DISTRICT HEBREW CONGREGATION LADIES GUILD- INCOME AND EXPENDITURE Accou￿ FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28 FEBRUARY 2025 2025 2024 Total Total RECEIPTS Donations and Fundraislng Gift Aid Totsl Recelpts 2.990 751 3,741 6,585 1,705 8,290 PAYMEKrs Function Costs Waitressses and Cleaning 3,004 366 6,790 636 Total Payments 3.370 7,426 Net SurplusllDefficit) In year Transfers Bank and Cash Funds last year end Bank and Cash Funds thls year end 371 12.378) 3,531 1,524 864 653 2,014 3,531 Note The Ladies Guild is a seperate5y managed subsidiary of the main charity whose PLtrp0se 15 to support the social and cultural activites of the community. Page S

SOLIHULL AND DISTrICT HEBREW CONGREGATION THURSDAY CLUB- INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28 FEBRUARY 2025 2025 Total 2024 Total RECEIPTS Donations Gift Ald Unrestricted grants received * Restrirted grants reveived (from Charitable Trusts) Restricted grants received Ifrom Government Fundingl Legacies 9,951 1,797 4,11)0 34,250 68,373 18,132 2,816 4,61)0 71,403 41.6 ** ** Operatlng actlvitles to Eenerate funds 118.471 139.551 Meals Provided Totsl Receipts 118,471 139,551 PAYMENTS Charhable Artlvltl Cost o Catefing Letture fees and Zoom Activities ort Costs Equipment and Repairs Energy improvement works (see note 4 below) Ceiling repairs Advertising Gas. Electricity and Water Insurance Cleaning Training Cost Volunteer Expenses Mana mÈnt and Administration Costs Salaries Accountancv Administrartion C05ts (see note 5 below) 32.311 45,516 162 4,820 6.829 57,732 4,493 37,079 9,079 2,000 6.342 9.075 2,(M)O 1,994 343 2,371 1,222 7,169 2,066 16,5061 11,147 2,059 11,058 Totsl Payments 122,899 127,462 Net (Deficitl/Surplus In year Transfers Bank and Cash Funds last year end Bank and Cash Funds this year end 14.4281 { 15,369) 62.070 42,273 12,089 16,473 33,508 62.070 Notes Thls fund was set up under the auspices of the parent tharity, Sollhull and District Hebrew Congregation to carry out Its non demomlnatlonal work Iprlmarlly social artNities and welfare support) for Vulnerable or elderty people. l. Unre5trlrted- May be used to 5UPPQrt any artS¥ltles of the Thursday Club. 2. Restrirted- Must be used for a spectfic activitly as per the re5trirtion ot the organlsatlon maklng the grant. 3. Fundralsing fees refers to the hostln& commission and credit card fees deducted by the ¢rowd funding platfwm that we use for publlc fundraising. 4. Energy Costs relate to ener8y efflcen¢y work5 ￿rrIed our whlch Include the installation of solar panels, a new wer boller, cavlty wall in5ulatlon etc. these costs have been ¢¢)vered by government fundlng. 5. The Thursday Club adminlstration Costs for the year show a negative figure due to timlng differences on release of grant monies at the start of the current year wlth certain ¢osts eovered by the grant incurred in the prior perlod. Page 6

SOLIHULLAND DISTRICT HEBREW CONGREGATION TLEDOKAH FUND- INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28 FEBRUARY 2025 2025 Total 2024 Total RECEI Gift Aid Donations Restricted Donations Unrestricted Grants Artivities Legacies 7,589 17,072 14,414 3,952 27.794 10.895 6.000 5.163 5,0 4,075 Total Recelpts 43.150 58,804 PAYMENT5 Charitable Activities Charitable Payments Community Centre Refurbishment Library Fund 18,015 9,138 10,451 11,960 25,219 16,654 625 Total Payment$ 37,604 54,458 Net SurplusllDeficit) In year Transfers Bank and Cash Funds last year end Bank and Cash Funds this year end 5,546 580 41,358 47.484 4,346 17,3991 44,411 41,358 Tzedakah means tharfty. Thls account handles both donatlons made for specffic charftable purposes In Ilne wlth the wlshes of the donor Irestrirted fvnds) su¢h a5 the library fund, bullding fund and donations made for general charitable use, examples of thls are 8rants made to or8anlsatlons such as soup kltchens or youth clubs who have appealed to us for ¢harltable fvndSn8 or Interest free loans to people suffering temporary financial difficulty. Page 7

SOLIHULL AND DISTRICT HEBREW CONGREGATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED

28 FEBRUARY 2025

CASH FUNDS
Notes 2025 2024
Bank Accounts :
Synagogue 8,696 16,067
Cambridge and Counties Bank 83,653 92,055
United Trust Bank 68,732 66,180
161,081 174,302
Thursday Club 42,273 62,070
Ladies Guild 1,524 3,531
Tzedokah Fund 47,484 41,358
252,362 281,261
2025 2024
Assets Retained for Charity's own use :
Community Centre 330,351 330,351
Fixtures and Fittings 150,000 150,000
Torah Scrolls 56,000 56,000
536,351 536,351
Stock and Equipment 6,000 6,000
Loan - Repayable within 12 months 5,850 6,739
Accounts Receivable 1,561 1,318
Other Debtors 5,741 6,770
555,503 557,178

The trustees have not had the synagogue and community centre professionally valued and is shown at cost. They consider the current market value to be £1,200,000.

Liabilities : 2025 2024
Accounts Payable 2,371 25,081
Grants Outstanding 1 4,000 27,410
Halifax Credit Card 239 789
Wages and PAYE 600 853
Accruals 894
Coventry Hebrew Congregation Burial Fund 2 48,886 50,886
56,990 105,019
750,875 733,420

M Hyams

G. Langman

Signed on behalf of the trustees on 29 August 2025

Notes

1. This refers to grant funding that has been received however the project to which the funding relates is still ongoing this funding will be spend before the project ends.

2. The Coventry Burial Fund is estimated at current prices plus 4.5% p.a for inflation in respect of 13 living members whose ages range from approximately 60 to 90 Membership of the burial fund excludes any payments due to Coventry City Council who are the owners of the cemetery.

Page 8

SOUHULL AND DISTRICT HEBREW CONGREGATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 28 FEBRUARY 2025 SHEDULE OF GRANTS RECEIVED 2025 Total Amount Jewish Community Protertlve 5ecurlty Grant Sollhull MBC- Household Support Fund VCSE Groundworks- Government Fundlng Delapage Coventry & Warwickshlre Access Fund Solihull MBC- Winter Fund Harry PayneFund We Are All Making A Difference Neighbourfy BJCC Arnold Clafk Foundatlon Warwlckshlre Freemason5 J. Davies Chartty 6.402 Security 10,641 Work with Vulnerable and Elderly 57.732 Energy efFiciency works and solar panels 20,0￿ Work with Vulnerable and Elderly 7,SOO Work with Vulnerable and Elderly 4,000 Work with Vulnerablè and Elderly 1,000 Work with Vulnerable and Elderly 1,000 Work with Vulnerable and Elderly 500 Work with Vulnerable and Elderlv 250 Work with Vulnerable and Elderly 2.5W Work with Vulnerable and Elderly L¢))) Work with Vulnerable and Elderly 6(M) Work with Vulnerable and Eklerly 113,125 Pa8e 9