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2023-03-31-accounts

Retreat House Chester Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

registered charity number 1163330 (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

Contents
page
1. Charity Information 2
2. Trustees’ Reportfor the year ended 31 March 2023 3-13
3. Examiner’s Report
 14-15
4. Accounts 16-17

Charity Information

registered charity name

Retreat House Chester

registered address

Retreat House Chester 9 Abbey Square Chester CH1 2HU

contact information

email: admin@retreathousechester.co.uk website : www.retreathousechester.co.uk

registered charity number

1163330

trustees (as on 31 March 2023) Rev Preb Paul Towner (Chair)

Rev Preb Paul Towner (Chair) appointed Feb 2018 for two years; reappointed Feb 2020 for two years; reappointed Feb 2022 for two years Mrs Carol Bayliss appointed May 2019 for three years; reappointed May 2022 for two years Dr Claire Egan appointed Oct 2020 for three years Rev Colin Mansley appointed Nov 2022 for three years Rev Robert Croft appointed Nov 2022 for three years

Mrs Consilia Black stepped down as a Trustee in May 2022 after her term of office since May 2019

We are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), governed by Constitution. Trustees are appointed by serving trustees. We hold a strategic plan, a risk register and comprehensive policies. Our attention to regulatory requirements and good practice is thorough.

‘The object of the CIO is to advance the Christian religion for the benefit of the public mainly, but not exclusively, through the provision of facilities, education, training and personal support to enable the exploration and experience of spirituality.’

2 | P a g e

Our Year

Retreat House Chester offers ways to peace in the city. Rooted gently and deeply in Christian spiritual tradition, we offer a wide range of ways to retreat for all people as a part of living – in the midst of the city and the midst of everyday life.

This time last year, our Report outlined how Retreat House Chester (‘RHC’ or simply ‘Retreat House’) was facing the next stage of its growth with enthusiasm and encouragement. A careful discernment process – shared by Trustees, Friends and Volunteers (some 40 people) in 2021-22 - gave the reason and foundation for a Working Party project as Spring turned to Summer in 2022, the start of this reporting year. By the end of Summer, the result was a 3-Year Plan:

The aim of this plan is to move RHC from a period of seven years’ foundation to a stable steady state, offering retreat activities that make a difference personally and socially, with a wide outreach and well known. 2025 will mark 100 years since the old retreat house was opened in Chester: inspired by that story but reinvented for our own times, we want to celebrate that year with a sustainable contemporary retreat provision, as a part of living. from 3-Year Plan

With the decisions to employ a second part-time member of staff, as Administrator, and to maintain our small base in Abbey Square, and following the success of expanding our work with both faith groups and community groups, we set about ‘A Time to Grow’, branching out still further and sharing the fruits of ‘retreat as part of living’.

For any growth, conditions need to be favourable. In the last part of this reporting year – the start of 2023 – we have been challenged by a changing environment. Part of this reflects a national trend of struggling charities: rising costs, rising needs, reduced resources and funds (as outlined, for example, in Charities Aid Foundation UK Giving Report 2023 ). Part of it is more local and particular: especially a watershed moment regarding premises here in Abbey Square when our lease expires or renews in November 2023.

Nonetheless, the key aims of our 3-Year Plan are clear and remain, even as changing seasons demand that that we adapt:

affirm the mission and character of RHC | make RHC known as a go-to provider of retreat activities | develop relationships across the community | inspire and equip others in providing retreat | encourage financial support from 3-Year Plan

Vision and hard work have always fed our small charity, and have ensured its growth since it first put down roots in 2015. In the year ahead, as eight years turn to nine, we know that vision and hard work will mean that this imaginative version of a retreat house – innovative and worthwhile - will continue to be shared as its branches spread, offering shelter, new growth and fruit to those for whom it becomes part of living.

3 | P a g e

Who we are

Retreat House Chester is a grassroots notfor-profit community venture inspired and driven by local people and working to offer retreat as an essential part of living for everyone.

5 trustees 1 treasurer 2 part-time staff 20 volunteers 234 direct beneficiaries this year

Our Vision and Values centre on ‘peace’ and the wholeness it brings, inspired by...

... hope

our well-loved Retreat House blessing

Our roots are in Christian spiritual tradition and our ecumenical character in line with that of Churches Together in Britain & Ireland. We are a member organisation of the Retreat Association and of Cheshire West Voluntary Action and are glad of the networks this provides, enabling us to work with other retreat providers and other local charities. An ongoing connection to – and participation in – both our faith community and wider community is essential to our work.

“The retreat house is very important to me because it offers something unique in Chester.”

“Thank you for this very special provision.”

“Always a warm welcome for everyone, accepting and respectful, not intrusive.”

4 | P a g e

What we do

Retreat House Chester offers ‘retreat in the city – as a part of living’, to make the many benefits of retreat available to as wide a range of people as possible and to make it as accessible as possible.

We promote retreat in everyday living for all. This was the need we saw at our foundation in 2015, and it continues to be our motivation today.

We seek to build peace and fullness of life for individuals, within communities, and across the city and region.

We do this through a diverse programme, with a range of ways to be involved, inviting people to...

find a time of silence

experience different ways of being reflective and prayerful

explore spirituality in a Christian setting

connect spirituality & daily living, and connect with one another.

This invitation is drawn from the monastic way of silence, prayer, study, labour and community - a way which has inspired retreat across centuries and across cultures, and a way which is written into the history of Chester with the Cathedral’s origins as a Benedictine abbey and numerous monastic houses in the city’s past (including Franciscan, Carmelite and Dominican). Making retreat a part of life for ‘ordinary’ people – especially in the Ignatian tradition - inspired the foundation of Chester’s former retreat house in 1925. We show how the wisdom and spirituality of this monastic and retreat tradition is relevant today – rooted and re-imagined.

“a day of peace, reflection and contemplation in a friendly environment”

affirm the mission and character of RHC

“I booked on these sessions because I wanted to discover more about the contemplative life… and I feel that need is being met. So thank you!”

continue to help people deepen their spiritual life and their experience of Peace, as individuals and in communities

from 3-Year Plan

5 | P a g e

We make this offer through the following activities, online and in-person:

retreat days | conversation groups | prayer times | creative workshops | walks | Book Club | study courses | Reflective Chester with general public & marginal groups | team training | one-to-one spiritual accompaniment | off-site retreats with church communities | blog

We’ve noticed that our most popular activities this year have been offsite group bookings (retreats tending to reach people who would not otherwise come to us) and activities over a series of weeks (study courses and conversations tending to appeal to those already familiar with us).

Our own small rooms limit the number we can welcome there. Off-site venues and meeting people in their own places extends our reach. We know the value of combining the stability and identity of a base (currently Abbey Square) with the outreach of off-site activities.

“Lots of variety of things to do. Great to meet like-minded people.”

“Just to say that I found both the events I attended last year to be defining moments in my spiritual journey… Thank you.”

“I am very thankful for the opportunities provided by Retreat House Chester to step outside of daily life, pause and reflect on God’s love and provision. I find the material and the conversation with others both give me new insight and encouragement.”

“I got such a lot out of the course I did with you… You are offering a very special ministry.”

“Thank you so much for today… I really felt it opened things up.”

“The last two weeks have been so good. The time to reflect and the conversations are so helpful.”

“This course has given me a desire to pursue what I have learnt.”

“This has been a journey to the heart.”

6 | P a g e

Who we work with

Engaging with spirituality is a fundamental human characteristic and need. Spiritual experience is frequently reported across all cultures, whoever we are. Retreat itself is common across cultures and through history; we like to say it is ‘as old as the hills’, mindful of the draw of the Welsh hills on the city’s horizon.

Our work is with the general public

individuals booking onto our activities faith groups mostly through our off-site retreats marginal groups mostly through our Reflective Chester community project groups of workers occasionally hosting or facilitating (a potential growth area) general public inc NEW this year, ‘6 Women of Heart’ interactive exhibition at Chester Cathedral

So we make the invitation to all to ‘come as you are’.

WELL-ESTABLISHED

individuals booking in, anyone inc elderly, isolated, bereaved – mostly, people who book come from ‘within’ churches

GROWING

local faith communities – marginal groups – groups of workers – apart from the faith communities, mostly people in these activities come from ‘beyond’ church settings

“I have had people coming up to me to say how peaceful and enjoyable the morning had been… Thank you for all you gave us.” from a group we visited

“Being able to come to events at RHC has been an important part of my spiritual journey. I always come away feeling that I have gained something and with a sense of calm and being refreshed.”

develop relationships across the community

focus on groups currently under-represented

from 3-Year Plan

7 | P a g e

Why we do it

Retreat is not just personal. There are also social benefits to providing non-residential retreat in a city context.

Researchers say benefits of retreat include

We know from feedback that we deliver on all of these with an emphasis on the personal benefits but not exclusively so.

We know that people need what we offer, because they tell us.

They tell us that RHC offers something distinctive: a neutral faith environment where spirituality, or depth to life, is not taboo and which offers encounter with others. They also value that this is local. We knew this from networking when we were starting out in 2015, and it’s good to know that we are providing what people need.

Our discernment process in 2022 revealed the strength of positive experience and need, which underlined the motivation to develop a 3-year plan to establish a stable, steady retreat provision by 2025.

draw on our Vision & Values, “I look forward to the centred on Peace, exploring programme; it is part of the and demonstrating how framework which helps me through the inevitable Peace is about wholeness challenges that each of us face in our day-to-day living.” raise awareness of the “I feel that I’m being gently benefits of contemplative helped along in my journey.” living and retreat “It’s difficult when you’re on from 3-Year Plan your own – so much better and easier with others.”

8 | P a g e

Our success

We continue to be proud of our innovative way of offering retreat as part of living.

key achievements this year include

increase our use of other locations

64 events across 10 months (2021-22: 50 events across 10 months)

479 welcomes in 10 months

234 individuals: 86 in programme bookings (inc 35 new) + 73 in group bookings + 75 in pop-ups

consolidate our established and successful programme, continuing activities for individuals and developing further activities for groups

from 3-Year Plan

We count the quality of our offering as a key achievement:

for groups : In offering Lent Retreats to churches, 100% of churches we visited last year want a return visit. In organising Reflective Chester for 2023-24, 100% of local charities / organisations we have already visited want a return visit.

for individuals : All of our programme activities have return visitors. Our study courses (online) and conversation groups are series events and very popular. Furthermore, people return now and again over the years, suggesting that RHC is a feature of their lives, and they want to come back, even if we see them only infrequently.

“It was obvious to me that careful preparation both in terms of resources and prayer had been made… food for the soul.”

“All very well organised and presented.”

“You are doing something very important. And in an exemplary manner.”

“A huge thank you for such a wonderful exhibition of prayer stations – very well received and I thought you produced them beautifully and professionally.”

9 | P a g e

Feedback

Good things happen on retreat – we know because people tell us.

This report is filled with feedback, and our work is shaped by what we learn from what people tell us. It is overwhelmingly positive. Words which appear multiple times in feedback appear above. There are many many other such words appearing just once.

demonstrate the success of RHC, and use feedback and monitoring to support this

from 3-Year Plan

Targets

Our 3-Year Strategic Plan informs our targets.

Targets for 2023-24 include

We recognise that achieving these targets may mean significant change for our charity.

10 | P a g e

Financial review

Our 3-Year Plan addresses the challenges of sustainability. We recognise the need to adapt to financial and practical circumstances.

Our 3-Year Plan aims to move Retreat House Chester to a stable, steady state by 2025. Key factors to recognise are:

This year, we have more than met our 3-Year Plan target of increasing our programme by 25% year on year, largely thanks to a popular 8-week study course, an evening concert, and charges for retreats in churches.

In contrast, we have not met our target of increasing donations, in which there has been a slight downturn (Gift Aid income includes a claim for part of last year, including that year’s £10,000 donation). This is despite an effort to renew our fundraising; it is also part of a national trend (Charities Aid Foundation UK Giving Report 2023 ).

Essential grant funding, for which we are very thankful – for both its financial support and also its support of our work – is as follows:

National Lottery £4000 from ‘Local Connections’ Fund restricted to running costs of Reflective Chester (16 events) The Marjory Boddy Charitable Trust £2000 to support our retreat events

The Marjory Boddy Charitable Trust £2000 to support our retreat events These grants came in the last quarter of the year; £250 from Lottery fund was spent by 31/3/23 on workshop preparations. Please see next page for Summary of Funds.

We recognise for our own situation the case made by the Institute for Voluntary Action that unrestricted funds can help charities with longer-term solutions and better outcomes, and so our 3-Year Plan rests on such funding; our target of achieving such funding, however, has not yet been met.

While income is down, expenditure is up. This is due to renewed marketing, increased programme costs and the employment of a second part-time member of staff.

Alongside this financial situation, the term of our lease expiring in November 2023 gives a ‘watershed’ moment to consider our best options regarding our premises and how we operate while still fulfilling our 3-Year Plan for a stable, steady retreat provision by 2025. Recognising and reviewing the challenges, we are exploring ways to reduce the organisational and financial demands of running our small charity while also concentrating on expanding our work of ‘retreat at part of living’.

encourage financial support demonstrate good financial stewardship in all our activity from 3-Year Plan

11 | P a g e

2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23
Income £6,537 £9,026 £26,558 £25,802 £21,619
Donations +Gift Aid £ 3,158 £ 4,365 £10,985 £18,576 * £11,526
Grants £ 250 £1,500 £13,095 £ 5,770 £ 6,000
Programme £ 3,095 £ 3,096 £ 2,478 £ 1,456 £ 4,083 **
Room hire £ 34 £ 65 0 0 £ 10

**refers to ticket sales only; donations which came via programme events total £1194.70 and are included in donations figure

----- Start of picture text -----
INCOME 2022-2023
£21,619 Programme
donations
£1,195
Donations
£6,671
Gift Aid
£3,660
Programme
income
Grants
£4,083
£6,000
Room Hire
£10
----- End of picture text -----

2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
Expenditure: Charitable Activities
£28,340
£20,737
£19,004
£20,142
£27,083
Premises
£ 5,723
£ 6,594
£ 5,961
£ 6,197
£ 6,470
Marketing+Fundraising £ 1,454
£ 804
£ 616
£ 735
£ 1,174
Programme
£12,828
£13,133
£12,427
£13,210
£18,838
Assets inc refurb
£ 8,335
£ 206
0
0
0


 2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
Expenditure: Charitable Activities
£28,340
£20,737
£19,004
£20,142
£27,083
Premises
£ 5,723
£ 6,594
£ 5,961
£ 6,197
£ 6,470
Marketing+Fundraising £ 1,454
£ 804
£ 616
£ 735
£ 1,174
Programme
£12,828
£13,133
£12,427
£13,210
£18,838
Assets inc refurb
£ 8,335
£ 206
0
0
0


SUMMARY OF FUNDS
31/03/23
31/03/22
unrestricted –general
£13,494
£24,528
restricted
£ 5,750
£180
Society of Retreat Conductors
-
£180
National Lottery Community Fund
£3750
-
Marjory Boddy Trust
£2000
-

12 | P a g e

Conclusion

Our work continues to be innovative and imaginative, modelling what city-based community-focused Christian retreat can be.

The work we do makes a difference in people’s lives and in the part retreat plays in local living. We know that the best future for our work is about further developing the best ways to reach people so that they may deepen their spiritual life in ways that are authentic, rooted and supported.

As a charity, we have spent 8 years developing this and learning from experience as we go. Now, our 3-Year Plan aims to establish what we have begun, growing from the roots that have been put down, and branching out. Funds are crucial; so too are the workers (the vineyard labourers) and the infrastructure to support the work, just as a plant needs the right conditions.

The challenge of 2023-24 will be how to bring together experience, plans, funds, workers and infrastructure in order to best continue the innovative, imaginative and – perhaps most of all – essential work that RHC has grown to do so well.

Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

signature

full name Paul Towner, Chair of Trustees date 19 July 2023

signature full name date 19 July 2023 signed copy in the office

13 | P a g e

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examine￿5 report on the accounts Section A Indepondent Exafflintrr'5 Report Roport to Iho tru¥to0$1 Retre81 House Chester m•mbBrs of On Iccounts for th• y••r •ndod 31 March 2023 Ch•rty no 111 •nyl 1163330 Sgtout on pag 18.17 I r•pert lo th• Iru•l••& on my •xaminqtlon of the 8ccounts oflh• otr)vo chenty I'lhe Truai'i fer the year onded 3lm312023 R•spoMlblllU•B and A8 th• ¢hArtty IfUSleeJ of Ihg Trnst. you arn re$S>)n￿trIe fcrthe Kyeparatbn ba85B of r•port olthe account¥ In ¢c¢rdar￿e wfth lh• Nulr•mnt8 of Ih• ChonUe8 Act 2011 lllhe Ad"), I raporf In re$prf4 d my ox4rrlnatton gfth•Trn￿,s vAiunl$ canl•d out under sethon 145 of tho 2011 and in cBrrylng out ry aX8mInakn￿. I hove fdlow•J the appl1¢￿10 Directions given by Iha Charity CommIs$￿n under 88Ction 1451Sllbl dthe Act. I have cempleted my •xamin8lion. I conflrm that no m•teM4 m*t•rs h#¥e ojme te rny attention In conneclion wilh Iha examinatbn whth giveB m• cauoe10 ihat in, 8ny m9￿￿111 rea￿￿.. ats¥Junling r•o)rd$ were not kept In Attordanc¢ vllh aeokn 130 ol the Aca or tho occ¢unts th) ￿0rd wlth Ih• artounllng r•ry>rds Indèpèndènt •xarnln•r'8 8tst•m•nt I hav• no ¢xnc•m8 and haw wme llD Other mottern In connecllon wllh Ihé axaminalionto atttntion 8￿uld be dr•wn In ordorto on•trA• propor understAndlng of tha acwunls to tfj wch•d. Slgnod: N•m•'. | N•vlll• FCMA qu4llft¢•Uonlsl or body AddYeM.' Ch•rflon. R¢wion Lan•, Ch¥•t•r CH3 8AT IER October 2018 141 Page

Seclioii B Disclosure Only comp￿?16 Il the 8xamin8r ne&J5 10 hwhli9ni matt&FS of concern 1588 CC32, Independent •K8minalion ol ¢harily ac¢ount•" dlr•eiion$ •nd guidow lor ex8minorsl. Glv• here brl•f dots115 of NONE Any It4mi thitth• •xarnlner wl•ho5 to dl•¢lo IER Octobor 2018

Retreat House Chester Retreat House Chester Retreat House Chester 1163330 1163330 1163330 CC16a
For the period
from		 01/04/2022 To 31/03/2023
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £
7,866
3,660
4,083
-
10
-
-

15,619
-
-
-
15,619
366
265
1,115
5,229
752
387
1,320
17,219
-
26,653
-
-
-
26,653
- 11,034
-
24,528
13,494		 Restricted
funds
to the nearest £
-
-
-
6,000
-
-
-
6,000
-
-
-
6,000
6
4
18
85
12
6
21
278
-
430
-
-
-
430
5,570
-
180
5,750		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Total funds
to the nearest £
7,866
3,660
4,083
6,000
10
-
-
21,619
-
-
-
21,619
372
269
1,133
5,314
764
393
1,341
17,497
-
27,083
-
-
-
27,083
- 5,464		 Last year
to the nearest £
Voluntarydonations 7,866 18,258
Gift Aid claimed on donations 3,660 318
Programme income 4,083 1,456
Grant funding - 5,770
Room Hire 10 -
- -
- -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)
15,619		 25,802
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- -
-
 -
~~Sub total~~ - -
Total receipts
A3 Payments
25,802

Marketing+ Fundraising		 366 141
Licences & Subscriptions 265 254
information Technology 1,115 340
Accommodation(premises) 5,229 5,332
Insurance 752 691
Office costs 387 173
Programme costs 1,320 924
Programme delivery:staff 17,219 12,287
- -
**Sub total ** 26,653 20,142
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)

For programme and refurb		 - -
- -
**Sub total ** - -
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
20,142
- 11,034 5,570 - - 5,464 5,660
- - - - -
24,528 180 - 24,708 19,048
13,494 5,750 - 19,244 24,708

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

14/07/2023

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
B5 Liabilities
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets		 Details
Details
Co-op adjusted bank balance
Cash float
HSBC adjusted bank balance
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details
Signature
Details		 Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
8,803
5,750
54
-
4,637
-
13,494
5,750
OK
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		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

14/07/2023

2