**The Trust Fund of The Holy Trinity Armenian Church** ## **Annual Report for 2024 calendar year** ## **History** The Armenian Church of the Holy Trinity was opened on Easter Sunday 1870 by the relatively small but prosperous Armenian community in Manchester. The Church is thought to be the first purpose-built Armenian Church in Northern Europe. A trust was set up in 1909 to hold the title to land and buildings and a separate trust was set up in 1920 to hold and manage financial assets. The trusts merged in 2000 and brought up to date with current charity law. ## **Annual Narrative Report of Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Manchester – 2024** Throughout 2024, Holy Trinity Armenian Church continued its mission of fostering faith, worship, and fellowship among Armenians in Manchester and the wider northern region. The **Divine Liturgy (Holy Badarak)** was celebrated regularly, providing a spiritual foundation for parish life and the continuation of the Armenian Apostolic tradition in Britain. The church observed the major feasts and solemn occasions of the Armenian liturgical calendar with reverence and community participation: - **Christmas:** The Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ was marked with joyful liturgy and community fellowship, celebrating the revelation of Christ’s divinity. - **Feast of Saint Mary (Asdvadzadzin):** The church honoured the Holy Mother of God with a special liturgy and prayers of thanksgiving, reflecting the Armenian Church’s deep reverence for Saint Mary as the bearer of divine grace and intercession. - **Palm Sunday:** The congregation commemorated Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The celebration was especially significant in 2024. The Primate of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and Ireland presided over the Divine Liturgy and blessed the faithful. - **Washing of the Feet (Avak Thursday):** This sacred rite symbolising humility and service was conducted during Holy Week, recalling Christ’s example of love and selfless ministry. - **Darkening Service (Good Friday):** The solemn Tenebrae service was observed in remembrance of the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ, as the church darkened in reverent silence and prayer. - **Easter Sunday (Feast of the Glorious Resurrection):** The church community rejoiced in the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection — the cornerstone of the Christian faith — with hymns, liturgy, and renewed hope. Together, these liturgical events formed the spiritual heartbeat of the parish in 2024, uniting the faithful in worship, remembrance, and thanksgiving. Beyond the liturgical calendar, Holy Trinity continued to serve as a vibrant centre of Armenian culture and fellowship. The church hosted social and community gatherings, commemorations, and informal celebrations that fostered connection among parishioners, families, and students. Through these activities, the parish maintained its vital role as a home of faith, culture, and identity for Armenians living in and around Manchester. ## **Financial and Organisational Overview** The trustees present their report together with the receipts and payments accounts for the Trust Fund of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church for the year ended 31 December 2024. ## **Financial Overview** During the financial year, the Trust generated a total income of **£51,819** , compared with **£44,057** in the previous year. The main sources of income continued to be investment returns and property-related receipts, reflecting the Trust’s ongoing focus on maintaining a stable and sustainable financial base to support the activities of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church. Investment income remained the largest contributor, amounting to **£39,498** (2023: £34,038). Income from car park rental also increased to **£10,245** (2023: £9,729. Additional income included donations totalling **£1,995** , bank interest of **£81** and no miscellaneous income this year (2023: £220). ## **Expenditure** Total expenditures for the year amounted to **£49,308** (2023: £36,056). The main areas of expenditure were: - **Utilities and Council Tax:** £10,535 (2023: £10,024) - **Deacon’s Salary:** £9,991 (2023: £10,955) - **Repairs and Garden Maintenance:** £18,780 (2023: £3,976) - **Insurance:** £5,442 (2023: £4,763) - **Contribution to Bishop:** £4,500 (2023: £4,500) The substantial increase in repair and maintenance costs reflects necessary works carried out during the year to preserve the condition of the Trust’s property and grounds. These works were funded from unrestricted resources. At the end of the financial year, total income exceeded expenditures by **£2,510** , resulting in a modest net cash inflow for the year. ## **Funds and Reserves** At 31 December 2024, the Trust held total **cash balances of £98,627** , all of which are unrestricted. These funds were held across three accounts: - Trust Cash Account: £46,403 - COIF Charity Deposit Fund: £51,364 - Trust Deposit Account: £861 In addition to cash reserves, the Trust maintained substantial investment holdings valued at **£1,457,057** , comprising units in the COIF Charities Trust Investment Fund, the COIF Charities Global Equity Fund, and the COIF Charities Deposit Fund. These investments continue to provide a reliable income stream and are managed with a long-term perspective in line with the Trust’s objectives. ## **Assets and Liabilities** The Trust owns the **land and building at 229 Upper Brook Street, Manchester (M13 0FY)** which is retained for the ongoing use and benefit of the Church community. There were **no outstanding liabilities** reported at the year-end. ## **Conclusion** The Trust Fund of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church remains in a sound financial position, supported by stable investment income and well-managed reserves. The trustees are committed to maintaining prudent financial oversight while ensuring that funds are used effectively to support the Church’s mission, property maintenance, and related charitable activities. The trustees extend their appreciation to all who have contributed their time, donations and support throughout the year. ## **Trustees** Vicken Couligian Chairman Douglas Buchanan Trustee Raffi Baghdjian Trustee Penny Evenson Trustee Arman Vardzaryan Trustee Lilit Mehrabyan Treasurer/ Trustee Arshaluse Anne-Marie Gougazian Trustee CONTACT DETAILS Addresses: ## **Chairman** Vicken Couligian 9 Valley Drive Handforth SK9 3DN 30/10/2025 ## **Treasurer** Lilit Mehrabyan 60 Kingsleigh road Heaton Moor Stockport, Sk4 3PP 11/10/2025 **Trust Fund of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church 1147512 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period** 01/01/2024 31/12/202431/12/2023 **To from** ## **Section A Receipts and payments** |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**39,498**
**10,245**
**1,995**
**81**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**51,819**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**51,819**
**10,535**
**60**
**9,991**
**18,780**
**4,500**
**5,442**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**49,308**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**49,308**
**2,510**
**-**
**-**
**2,510**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**39,498**
**10,245**
**1,995**
**81**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**51,819**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**51,819**
**10,535**
**60**
**9,991**
**18,780**
**4,500**
**5,442**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**49,308**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**49,308**
**2,510**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**39,498**
**10,245**
**1,995**
**81**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**51,819**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**51,819**
**10,535**
**60**
**9,991**
**18,780**
**4,500**
**5,442**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**49,308**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**49,308**
**2,510**|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Investment income|**39,498**|||||**34,038**| |Car Park rental|**10,245**|||||**9,729**| |Donations|**1,995**|||||**-**| |Bank Interest income|**81**|||||**70**| |Misc Income|**-**|||||**220**| ||**-**|||||| ||**-**|||||**-**| ||**-**|||||**-**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**51,819**|||||**44,057**| |||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**||||||| ||**-**|||||| ||**-**|||||**-**| |**_Sub total_**|**-**|||||**-**| |**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||| |||||||**44,057**| |||||||| |Utilities and Council tax|**10,535**|||||**10,024**| |Miscpayments|**60**|||||**939**| |Deacon's salary|**9,991**|||||**10,955**| |Repairs andgarden maintenance|**18,780**|||||**3,976**| |Contribution to bishop|**4,500**|||||**4,500**| |Insurance|**5,442**|||||**4,763**| |LotteryProjects|**-**|||||**899**| ||**-**|||||| ||**-**|||||**-**| |**_Sub total_ **|**49,308**|||||**36,056**| |||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**||||||| ||**-**|||||| ||**-**|||||| |**_Sub total_ **|**-**|||||**-**| |**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||| |||||||**36,056**| |||||||| ||**2,510**|**-**||**2,510**||**8,002**| ||**-**|**-**||**-**||**-**| ||**-**|**-**||**-**||**-**| ||**2,510**|**-**||**2,510**||**8,002**| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 1 ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**|(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**
Trust cash account
COIF Charity Deposit Fund
Trust deposit account
**_Total cash funds_**
**Details**
**Details**
COIF Charities Trust Investment Fund
COIF Charities Global Equity Fund
COIF Charities Deposit Fund
**Details**
**Details**
Land and Building at 229Upper Brook st
Manchester
M13 0FY
Signature|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**46,403.13**
**-**
**51,363.69**
**-**
**861**
**-**
**98,627**
**-**
Agreement Error
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Lilit Mehrabyan
Vicken Couligian|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||OK| ||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**1,267,890**| ||||**137,803**| ||||**51,364**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**When due**
**(optional)**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||Date of
approval| ||||11/10/2025| ||||30/10/2025| ||||| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 2 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trustees Trust Fund of the Holy Trinity Arrn8nian Church On accounts for the year 3111212024 ended ' Charity no (if any) 1147512 Set out on paga$ I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of th8 above charity (Ihe Trust.) for the year ènded 3111212024. Responslbllltl8s and basls of rèport As the charitvs trustees, you are responsib19 for the preparation of the accounts in accordan￿ the reqLJif8ments of the Charities Act 2011 lllhe Act"}. I report in respe(* of ffly examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Acl and in carying out my examination, I have followed all the ap￿ICable Directions gNen by the Charity Commission under section 145(51(b) of the Act. Independent tThe charity's gross in(x)me exceeded £250,000 and l am qualified to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualifi8d member of [insert namè of applicable listed body]l. Delete [ ] rfnot applicable. I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have come to my attention in (x)nn8ction wth the examination {other than that disclosed below.) whith gives me cause to believe that in, any materi81 respect: the accounting records y￿re not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Ad- or the accounts did nol aco)rd with the accourrting records,. or the accounts did not comply vKth the applicable requirements conceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounls give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no (xjncems and have come across no other fflatters in Gonnection 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. ' Please delete the words in the bTrckets rfthey do not apply. Slgned: Date: 1511012025 Name: Wei Anderson Relevanl professlonal qualificationlsl or body {if any): Fellow Chartered certifi￿ AGGouniant IER Oct 2018 Address: 25 Nimrod Grove. Wotyjford, Stockport SK7 1SF Section B Disclosure Only complete il the examiner neeos to hignlignl md18rial ffialters of concern (see CC32, Independent examinalion of charity accoLJnls: diractions and guidance for examiners). Give here brlef details of any items that the examin9r wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018