THE LIVING WELL ANNUAL REPORT 2025 Reference and Administrative Details
Patron: Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin
Board of Trustees:
Mr George White (Chair) Revd Canon Lorraine Apps-Huggins (retired July 2025) Revd Peter Ingrams Mr Paul Willett Rev Canon Estella Last Mrs Sally Lees
Charity Registration No: 1123792 Principal Officers: Revd Canon Lorraine Apps-Huggins – Lead Chaplain (until June 2025) Assistant Chaplains: Mrs Hilary Hills, Mr Ray Horton, Helen Jones Administrator: Dr Annelise Matharu Registered Office: The Living Well, The Vicarage, Vicarage Lane, Nonington, Kent CT15 4JT Hon Treasurer: Mr Julian Hills Independent Examiner: Mr Kevin Funnell Bankers: Lloyds, 49 High Street, Canterbury Kent CT1 2SE
Structure, governance and management
The Living Well was formed as a charitable trust in 2008 as a resource for the ministry of healing and wholeness within the Diocese of Canterbury. It is based at Nonington, near Canterbury, in a large, detached house, a former Vicarage, within peaceful grounds.
There is an elected Board of Trustees which is the executive body with responsibility for setting the strategic direction and policies required to achieve The Living Well’s founding aims and objectives. The day-to-day operations are carried out under the oversight of the Trustees by the Chaplain who has complete responsibility for the spiritual programmes and ministry as well as managing the administrative function.
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In terms of its Board of Trustees, The Living Well is independent of the diocese in its management and is principally funded by individual donations through the wonderful support and generosity of our members friends and clients. It has also received grant support from a number of trusts and local authorities. The former vicarage however is owned by the diocese with The Living Well holding an agreed equity share in the property. The external upkeep of the property is the diocesan responsibility whilst the interior is the responsibility of The Living Well.
The Living Well works closely with the Bishop of Dover and the Local Church Development Framework of the Diocese so as to be a fresh expression of the ministry of healing and wholeness and the chaplain serves as the Bishop’s Adviser on Healing and Wholeness and this includes being a member of the Diocesan Deliverance Ministry Team. As a result, the Chaplain holds a Bishop’s licence to act as a priest throughout the Canterbury Diocese whilst our assistant chaplains work under a Bishop's License to The Living Well.
Objectives and activities
The Living Well provides a safe, welcoming and inclusive place for personal retreat, for receiving the healing ministry of Christ, for themed quiet days and offers teaching within the diocese for local parishes in Healing and Wholeness Ministry.
The Living Well is a resource for prayer and development for both laity and clergy, both from within the Diocese and outside it. It offers a range of one-off sessions including ‘Deeper Healing Days’ and short courses for personal spiritual growth and development as well as more specific teaching for involvement with the healing ministry. Guests value and enjoy the peaceful surroundings at Nonington to draw closer to God and to seek His refreshment. This is particularly valuable for those who have busy and stressful ministries or jobs to fulfil, and those who have suffered from abuse, trauma or loss of any kind.
Activities and performance
The Living Well’s ministry has been led by our lead chaplain Rev Canon Lorraine Apps Huggins, assisted by our 3 voluntary Assistant Chaplains Ray Horton, Helen Jones and Hilary Hills. Monthly Supervision, weekly prayer time, and monthly Core Lunches give opportunity for relationship building, ministry development & problem solving. Each chaplain also receives individual Supervision at a level appropriate to the voluntary hours that they serve.
At the end of June 2025 Lorraine retired and we bade a fond farewell to her in gratitude for all that she had given under God throughout her ministry here. Whilst the search for a replacement has been ongoing the chaplaincy team have ensured that the planned programmes of events has continued and the availability of someone for those in great need has not diminished. They have been assisted in their ministry by our Administrator Annelise Matharu and our Resident Warden
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Martin Hall, whom we also sadly said goodbye to at the end of December. We are grateful for the dedication with which Martin looked after the property and grounds.
The chaplaincy team are well supported by a team of volunteers of about 25 who listen and pray, provide hospitality and undertake practical tasks to assist with the smooth running of The Living Well. We are enormously grateful for their dedication and commitment to all that we do.
Throughout the year Trustees have served in a variety of ways, finalising the MOU, actively undertaking practical tasks and electrical PAT Testing (Paul Willett) and working on the recruitment of a new lead chaplain. The post had to be advertised twice, in April and October, but no appointment was made. The position was readvertised in January 2026 and Revd Stefan Thomas was appointed.
The Living Well has benefited for the last three years from a large grant offered by the Dorothy Kerin Trust, a trust committed to the Christian ministry of healing and wholeness carrying on from the work of Burrswood Hospital on the Kent/Sussex border. However, The Living Well is no longer eligible for further grants as these are only payable for up to 3 years. With the third year of grant money from the Dorothy Kerin Trust, we were able to replace our oldest garden cabin with a brand new one, ‘Shalom’. It was equipped with furniture commensurate with its intended usage. Together now with ‘Kairos’, ‘Trinity’ and ‘Julian’ these cabins are foundational in helping those who come to The Living Well to experience its special setting and the sense of being closer to God. They also provide this resource for people who come for our Thursday Services, Quiet Days, Deeper Healing Days, Group Days or Individual Retreat Days.
We are extremely grateful to the diocese for bearing the cost of replacing the roof of the main house at the beginning of the year.
The Living Well has a structural deficit of just less than £20k per year although they are cushioned by reserves which originated from the demise of the Cautley Trust – a former residential centre for wellbeing in Folkestone. The Trustees are looking to move forward in faith that the work and ministry of The Living Well will grow and the income needed to meet our commitments grow with it. To do this the trustees are looking for new partnerships, new grant opportunities and potential new donors to help our work be more sustainable, all under the leadership of a new Lead Chaplain in 2026.
Over the year various Outreach events took place. Parish invitations to lead a ‘quiet day’ offering healing prayer, invitations to equip and train pastoral prayer teams, to preach on a Sunday and to lead the St Lukestide Service at the Cathedral – all of these are led by the chaplaincy and members of The Wider Team of volunteers according to their location and suitability. These Outreach events help to get the ministry of The Living Well known in the diocese and reach those who are unable to travel to Nonington. They also encourage the ministry of healing & wholeness in the parishes to grow and flourish – our background support is valued by numerous ministers & churches.
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The number of people attending individual day retreats at The Living Well continue to increase (141 individuals - clergy and lay). The monthly Deeper Healing Days take a small number of people each month but continue to be an important aspect of what we offer. Themed Days led by outside facilitators have a life of their own, bringing spirituality, art, music, saints and more to our programme. Our weekly worship continues to be well attended with an average attendance of 16. The guests value the liturgy, preaching, space, inspiring worship (music supported by Stella Banks monthly and Ray Horton regularly) and healing prayer offered. Our hospitality team who serves on the days when groups of guests are in the house are paramount to what we offer – in addition to their culinary skills they also find themselves welcoming guests and bringing the presence of Christ in the kitchen.
Our Wider Team and Hospitality Team have some newcomers but have also said goodbye to some of our longer serving team members in the past year. We miss their input and pray for more newcomers for these teams, who are vital to what we can offer.
Our Assistant Chaplain Hilary Hills has worked faithfully and weekly distributing the confidential prayer chain – this carries sometimes 15-20 prayer requests per week. They are distributed by email to about 20 pray-ers. Again, this aspect of our ministry though hidden is vital. Hilary holds a pastoral link with the Diocesan Board of Education and the church schools in the diocese. Senior staff in schools are able to access listening and support when trauma or safeguarding matters arise in the school communities.
Two courses, ‘Navigating Trauma’ (led by Hilary and Helen) and ‘Christ’s Healing Ministry’ (led by Lorraine) ran successfully. Lorraine supported as chaplain the Canterbury Leadership Programme and continued to offer Spiritual Accompaniment and Clergy Supervision alongside her chaplaincy role. Her honorary Canon role led her to be in the cathedral on a few occasions and encouraged that link.
In 2025 for the first time, we offered our facilities to the Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy based at the University of Kent. The Living Well team provided listening and care as appropriate and PCIT organised the activities. The day was so popular it had to be run twice, and we met with 35 clients and their carers who all enjoyed a day of rest and refreshment. Feedback was hugely positive, and we hope to run similar events again.
We offer Clergy Oasis and Readers days for rest and refreshment recognising that these leaders are hard pressed in their parish ministries. We are working with the diocese to facilitate more attending. Similar days for Anna Chaplains are resuming in 2026.
We ran 2 outreach hub days at Greatstone on Romney Marsh.
We ran the St Lukestide service at Canterbury Cathedral last October and attendance was 68, with 24 being prayed for.
The Living Well was a presence within the local community, joining the Nonington Open Garden Scheme in June (welcoming over 100 visitors) and the Nonington
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Christmas Tree Festival in St Mary’s Church in December. Both events were a good way to promote The Living Well locally.
We were saddened to hear the death of the previous lead chaplain of The Living Well, Rev Canon Sarah Chapman in September, and held a day at The Living Well for people to come and remember Sarah and be prayed with. A booklet of messages was collected and sent to Sarah’s husband, Giles.
Reserves policy & Investment Policy
The Trust has adopted a policy of keeping around 6 weeks expenditure in immediately available funds and investing surplus funds in short term investments. These are currently held in CCLA Investment and Deposit Funds.
Financial performance
We thank Kevin Funnel for continuing to be our auditor.
In 2025 general unrestricted income fell by £3.7k against an increase of £8.5k in 2024. However, in 2024 The Living Well was in receipt of one-off donations of £6k not repeated in 2025. Leaving aside these donations the underlying level of donations would have increased by £2.9k and the total unrestricted income by £2.3k.
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Donations (regular) | £+2.9k | £+0.6k |
| Ministries | £-0.1k | £+2.5k |
| Sales | £+0.1k | £+0.2k |
| Investments | £-0.6k | £-0.8k |
| Total underlying income | £+2.3k | £+2.5k |
| One-off donations | £ -6.0k | £+6.0k |
| Total all income | £-3.7k | £+8.5k |
It is encouraging to see this underlying trend continue to increase and that the level of ministry income remained the same when The Living Well was without its lead chaplain for half the year. The volunteer chaplain team was able to maintain a similar level of ministry throughout the latter part of the year. The decline in investment Income continues to be caused by the use of reserves to fund the ongoing deficit.
During the year we were able to fully utilise the grants we had previously received from the Dorothy Kerin (Burrswood) Trust. With this money we have been able to finance particular aspects of our ministry and replace one of the garden pods, and it has proved to be a significant blessing.
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Normal expenditure reduced as we were without an ordained paid lead chaplain for the final 6 months of the year.
Operational results can be summarised as follows:
| Operational income (exc Inv Income) Operational costs Gross Operational |
2025 2024 £ 32.2k £ 35.3k £ 57.0k £ 61.4k Loss £(24.8k) £(26.1k) £ 6.5k £ 7.1k £(18.3k) £(19.0k) £16.5k £(2.7k) £ NIL £29.3k £16.5k £10.1k £ NIL £16.5k |
|---|---|
Investment Income Net Operational Loss |
|
Restricted Funds B/F |
|
| Restricted Funds: Trust Income Restricted Funds: Costs Restricted Funds In Hand |
Assets of The Living Well have decreased by £40.4k in 2025 (decrease of £2.1k in 2024) and this can be attributed to the following:
| Net Operational Loss Net (decrease) in Restricted Funds Realised gain/(loss) on investments sold during year Unrealised gain/(loss) on investments Total Reduction in Assets |
2025 2024 £(18.3k) £(19.0k) £(16.5k) £(19.2k) £ NIL £ (1.2k) £ (5.6k) £ 3.1k £(40.4k) £ (2.1k) |
|---|---|
The losses on investments reflect the poor investment performance of our investment managers CCLA at a time when financial markets although highly volatile due to the threat of import tariffs in the USA, have more broadly improved. It is hoped that there performance will improve in 2026 after being taken over by Jupiter.
The Living Well is now in its 18th year and it is hoped that its reach will continue to grow throughout Canterbury Diocese and beyond. We pray that we will be a blessing to all who seek us out.
Payment to Trustees: During the year the following payments were made to trustees for reimbursement of expenses:
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Rev Canon Lorraine Apps Huggins (Chaplain) £147.59 (2024 - £408)
Mr George White (Chair) £230.20 (2024 – £NIL)
In addition, Revd Canon Lorraine Huggins was paid a stipend commensurate with the Canterbury Diocesan standard levels and the part time nature of her role. This figure is included in the financial statement.
Political and Charitable donations: No such donations were made in the financial year.
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The Living Well
Receipts and Payments for the period 1st January to 31st December 2025
| RECEIPTS Voluntary Income Donations Church donations Gift Aided Donations Service collections (GASDS) Gift Aid tax reclaim Sub Total Voluntary Income Ministries Readers Refreshing Days Clergy Oasis Days Quiet days Deeper Healing Days Courses School Work House use for individuals & groups Outside events Sub Total Ministries Trading Income Sales -cards,books,food Investments Income Grants Grant from Dover DC Grant from Dororthy Kerin Sub Total Total receipts PAYMENTS Premises Premises costs Improvements-house and garden Insurances Sub Total Premises Resources Printing, stationery, telephone & postage Photocopier and IT equipment Fees, subscriptions, website Event costs and hospitality Service materials, books & flowers Sub Total Resources Staff Chaplain's Stipends, Pension & NI Assist Chaplain's Stipend,Pension & NI Assistant Chaplain's travel expenses Administrator's salary, tax, NI and pension Wardens' Wages & Pension Team expenses Chaplain's supervision & training Retreats / Sabbatical Honorariums / Gifts Sub Total Staff Total payments Surplus/(Loss) Funds B/F Surplus/(Loss) Realised Gains/(Losses) on Investments Unrealised Gains/(Losses) on Investments Funds C/F STATEMENT OF ASSETS Cash Lloyds BankCurrent Account CBF Deposit Fund Total Cash Funds INVESTMENT ASSETS: CCLA - CBF Church of England Funds: Cautley Fund Investment Fund: Property Fund: TOTAL ASSETS as at period end NOTE: 2025 Share Valuations Number Church of England Investment Income Share 6071.72 Church of England Property Shares Equipment |
Unrestricted 2025 |
Restricted 2025 |
Restricted 2025 |
Total 2025 |
Unrestricted 2024 |
Unrestricted 2024 |
Restricted 2024 |
Total 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,376.10 1,250.00 8,277.40 3,469.47 3,651.05 20,024.02 545.00 196.00 1,516.88 730.00 760.00 180.00 7,113.61 280.00 11,321.49 888.24 6,458.66 - - - |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
3,376.10 1,250.00 8,277.40 3,469.47 3,651.05 20,024.02 545.00 196.00 1,516.88 730.00 760.00 180.00 7,113.61 280.00 11,321.49 888.24 6,458.66 - - - |
8,804 1,104 5,805 4,212 3,184 23,109 275 299 1,740 985 690 - 6,172 1,221 11,381 787 7,090 - - - |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1,500 27,822 29,322 |
8,804 1,104 5,805 4,212 3,184 23,109 275 299 1,740 985 690 - 6,172 1,221 11,381 787 7,090 1,500 27,822 29,322 |
|||
| 38,692.41 | - | 38,692.41 | 42,367 | 29,322 | 71,690 | |||
| 3,425.67 1,103.67 1,274.96 5,804.30 47.98 894.50 718.76 4,679.69 3,360.46 807.83 10,509.22 11,501.08 - 2,764.20 18,586.24 4,749.56 1,165.20 10.00 39.00 1,910.13 40,725.41 |
- 12,193.16 - 12,193.16 1,414.00 - - - - - 1,414.00 1,010.42 - - 946.73 - 64.40 824.90 - - 2,846.45 |
3,425.67 13,296.83 1,274.96 17,997.46 1,461.98 894.50 718.76 4,679.69 3,360.46 807.83 11,923.22 12,511.50 - 2,764.20 19,532.97 4,749.56 1,229.60 834.90 39.00 1,910.13 43,571.86 |
4,222 58 1,070 5,350 136 953 716 2,184 3,674 963 8,626 24,934 - 2,765 15,586 3,118 - - 993 50 47,446 |
- 2,598 - 2,598 801 - - - - - 801 1,664 360 - 2,158 - 696 956 - 900 6,734 |
4,222 2,656 1,070 7,949 937 953 716 2,184 3,674 963 9,427 26,598 360 2,765 17,744 3,118 696 956 993 950 54,180 |
|||
| 57,038.93 | 16,453.61 | 73,492.54 | 61,422 | 10,133 | 71,556 | |||
| (18,346.52) | (16,453.61) | (34,800.13) | (19,055) | 19,189 | 134 | |||
| 208,719.67 | 16,453.61 | 225,173.28 | 225,815 | (2,735) | 223,079 | |||
| (18,346.52) 0.00 (5,612.70) |
(16,453.61) | (34,800.13) 0.00 (5,612.70) |
19,055 - 1,181 - 3,142 |
19,189 | 134 (1,181) 3,142 |
|||
| 184,760.45 | 0.00 | 184,760.45 | 208,720 | 16,454 | 225,173 | |||
| 2025 7,061.81 42,916.78 134,781.86 - Dec-25 Value/Share 2219.83 |
49,978.59 134,781.86 184,760.45 Value 134,781.86 134,781.86 |
49,978.59 | 2024 9,862 74,917 140,395 0 2024 Number 6071.72 |
84,779 140,395 225,173 Dec-24 Value/Share 2312.27 |
Value £140,395 £140,395 |
| Summary of Cash Movements Lloyds BankCurrent Account brought forward CBF Deposit Fund brought forward Total Cash Funds brought forward PlusReceipts General Fund Sale of investments Grants Received LessPayments General Fund Grants Expended TOTAL CASH FUNDS AT PERIOD END Made up of: Lloyds Bank Current Account CBF Deposit Fund |
Actual 2025 |
Actual 2024 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| £9,861.94 £74,916.78 £84,778.72 38,692.41 - - 57,038.93 16,453.61 |
17,872 330 18,202 42,367 66,443 29,322 61,422 10,133 |
||
| 49,978.59 | 84,779 | ||
| 7,061.81 42,916.78 |
9,862 74,917 |
||
| 49,978.59 | 84,779 |
NOTE:
A declaration of Trust dated 13th December 2013 was made between the Canterbury Diocesan Board of Finance and the Trustees of The Living Well in consideration of money spent on the The Vicarage in order to provide a healing ministry within the Diocese. The property is held upon trust in the initial proportions 84.71% for the diocese and 15.29% for the Living Well .
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteosl member8 of THE LIVING WELL On accounts for the year ended 31ST DECEMBER 2025 Charlty no (If any) 1123792 S8t out on paga8 I report to Ihe trust8es on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {"the Trust") for tha year ended 31 Decamber 2025. Re8ponslbllltles and As the charlty trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basls of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Chanties Act 20111"the Acf). I report In respect of my examinalion of th8 Trusfs accounts carrfed out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examlnatlon, I have followed th8 applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5>lb} of the Act, I have completed my examination. I confimi Ihal no material matters have come lo my attentlon in connecllon wlth the examlnation whlch glves m8 cause to believe that In, 8ny material respect,. 8ccounling records were not kept in accordance wlth sectlon 130 of the Act or the accounts do not apxord wlth the accounting r8cords Independenl examln8rfs statement I have no concerns and hav8 come across no other matters In connection wlth the ex8mlnation to which attenllon should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Date: Slgned: 25 August 2026 Namo: KEVIN FUNNELL Relevant professlonal quallllcatlon(s) or body {If any}: F.M.A.A.T. Address: 10 Nutbery Close Teynham Sittingbourne Kent ME9 9SP Kevln Funnell F.MA.AT. October 2018