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2025-12-31-accounts

Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Trust

FOSTERING COMPASSION AND CARE IN UK HEALTHCARE SETTINGS

Charitable Incorporated Organisa4on

Number: 1178771

Report and financial statements

for the year ended 31st December 2025

Contents:

Reference and administraAve informaAon for the year ended 31st December 2025

Charity number 1178771

Registered office and operaAonal address

Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Trust,

5 Ainslie Street

Ulverston

Cumbria

LA12 7JE

Trustees

Trustees, who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows:

Satyamegha Kate Hunt, Chair (resigned during the year)

Steve Johnson, Secretary Satyin Taylor

Amitasuri Yule

Bankers

Triodos Bank UK, Deanery Road, Bristol BS1 5AS

Trustees annual report for the year ended 31st December 2025

Trustees of the Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Trust (BHCT) present their report and the unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31st December 2025. Reference and administrative information set out on page 2 forms part of this report. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting policies and comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 1020 (effective 1 January 2015).

This report highlights our continued dedication to providing compassionate and skilled Buddhist spiritual care within the diverse landscape of UK healthcare. As the officially recognised endorsing body for Buddhist Healthcare Chaplains in the UK, the BHCT remains committed to supporting the spiritual wellbeing of patients, their families, and healthcare staff.

A Message from the Trustees

The past year, 2025, has continued to see evolving challenges. We have again witnessed a continued recognition of the vital role that spiritual and pastoral care plays in holistic healthcare. We have continued to provide a robust endorsement process, which assures NHS Trusts of the high standards of our chaplains. The dedication of our endorsed chaplains, who often work across faith groups and embrace an ecumenical approach, continues to be an inspiration to all.

Our Mission and Vision

The Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Trust exists to advance Buddhism for the public benefit by promoting the role of Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy. We aim to alleviate and transform the experience of suffering through spiritual, religious, and pastoral care, fostering a more compassionate and inclusive healthcare environment for all.

Key Achievements in 2025

Robust Endorsement and Training :

The BHCT continued to operate its rigorous endorsement process for Buddhist chaplains, ensuring that those serving in healthcare settings meet professional standards of training and experience. We chose to operate a different model this year, dealing with endorsement applications as they arrived rather than through a number of meetings during the year. This led to a desired balancing of workload.

Continued Professional Development :

We actively supported the ongoing development of Buddhist chaplains through various initiatives, including providing mentorship and supervision. This included networking events and collaborations to share knowledge and best practices in spiritual care. We also contributed to broader discussions on professional standards for healthcare chaplaincy within the Network for Pastoral, Spiritual and Religious Care in Health (NPSRCH).

Strengthening Partnerships:

The BHCT continued our membership of the NPSRCH, contributing to the network's mission to promote high-quality, person-centred pastoral, spiritual, and religious care services across the NHS. We participated in discussions and initiatives aimed at ensuring equal access to spiritual care for all patients, regardless of religion or belief. We took a stronger role in the Network of Buddhist Organisations (NBO) attending regular online meetings and exhibiting/speaking at events in London.

Community Engagement:

Our endorsed chaplains actively engaged with patients, families, and staff in hospitals, hospices, and community settings, providing essential spiritual and pastoral support. This often involved one-on-one conversations, active listening, and guidance during times of difficulty, stress, and uncertainty.

Activities in 2025

Our activities in 2025 encompassed a range of areas crucial to our mission:

Financial review

As a registered charity (Charity Commission Registration No. 1178771), the Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Trust operates with transparency and financial prudence.

Principal funding sources

As our involvement with the Network of Pastoral, Spiritual and Religious Care in Health (NPSRCH) continues we have supported their delivery of initial training for chaplains rather than developing our own initial programme as an income stream. Our income during 2025 was therefore solely based on donations towards the provision of Endorsement and networking services. While it is anticipated that training and endorsement streams will grow in the future and the Trustees recognise the importance of these, we do however have concerns about the lack delivery of training and time, people and financial resources to undertake such activities. We agree that we need to explore viable options for the future. This includes discussing such options with the national umbrella organisation for Buddhist traditions - the Network of Buddhist Organisations (NBO) of which we are a member.

Expenses

The main administrative expenses occur in:

The BHCT has no paid full or part time staff. To date, activities are delivered by volunteers who can claim expenses e.g. travel

Following the move to a donation based income, the Trustees remain committed to minimising expenditure.

Reserves policy

The Trustees recognise the importance of ensuring that sufficient reserves are retained to maintain adequate working capital to fund operational activity and to invest in the development of the charity. Although we have worked to identify sustainable funding streams for the future we feel it necessary to explore options for a future for our services which may be different e.g. collaborating or merging with other bodies.

Challenges and Opportunities

While 2025 saw significant achievements, challenges remain in ensuring equitable access to Buddhist spiritual care across all healthcare settings. These continue to be

In addressing these issues we have due regard to the guidance published by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Future Plans for 2026

In 2026 the Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Trust will focus on:

The Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Trust remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting those in need within healthcare settings through the compassionate and skilful application of Buddhist principles. We look forward to a year of growth and impact, working collaboratively to foster healing and wellbeing for all.

Structure, governance and management

The organisation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered on 13[th] May 2018. The Trust was established under a memorandum of association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its articles of association.

The Trustees, their nomination and appointment

BHCT Trustees are responsible for the decisions made in running the BHCT. The skills requirements for the trustee body are kept under review. We have attempted to find new Trustees through a dialogue with colleagues.

There is a simple nomination process for new trustees, to be voted onto the board of Trustees. Trustees may hold specific roles such as Chair, secretary, and treasurer and others as needed. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity. All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity as a Trustee. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in the accounts.

Risk management

Consistent with the size of the charity, the trustees review any major risks to which the charity might be exposed and establish systems and procedures to mitigate those risks. The Trustees are of the opinion that while the reserves and known subsequent income are sufficient for at least short to medium term financial requirements we need to explore options for the long term, including closure or merger.

Statement of responsibilities of the trustees

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees 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 the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provision of the trust deed.

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website.

The trustees’ annual report has been approved by the Trustees on 16 April 2026

and signed on their behalf by:

Signed

Dr. Stephen Johnson Secretary

Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Trust

Balance Sheet

January 1st 2025 - December 31st 2025

Balance Total
Opening balance 1434.58
Income 200
Expenditure 737.98
Closing balance 896.60
Income
Donations (endorsement) 200.00
Total Income 200.00
Expenditure
IT including web domain and maintenance 174.00
Conference attendance and presentations 364.28
Printing 30.00
Postage 40.00
Administrative (virtual phone service) 78.00
Administration (miscellaneous) 50.00
Bank Charges 1.70
Total Expenditure 737.98