Annual Report: New Chapel Farm
Registered charity number: 1179251
January to December 2025
Registered office address: New Chapel Farm, Mells, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 9DE
Email: info@newchapelfarm.org.uk Website: www.newchapelfarm.org.uk
Trustees
Ongoing Trustees: Richard Tinkler, Claire Tinkler
Stepped down during the year: Jenny Bollans, Ryan Lynch, Adrian Saggers (Chair)
New Trustees: John Foster, Peter Walker (Chair)
Darren Prince was also appointed to be a new trustee in 2025 but stepped down after a brief tenure on the board.
Meetings are held approx. quarterly.
Introduction
The New Chapel Farm (NCF) charity was formed in 2018 to support the work at New Chapel Farm, Halesworth, Suffolk.
The trustees of NCF steward New Chapel Farm as a place of restoration primarily for Christian key workers in need of restoration. The beauty, peace, and comfort of New Chapel Farm creates an ideal setting for this to happen.
The property is offered on a self-catering basis and can accommodate up to 14 people in two buildings. There is additional space for camping if needed. As the charity’s income has increased, it has become more self-sufficient and less dependent on Richard and Claire, but still requires additional financial support to cover costs.
The ministry has continued to expand and develop. This has increased since November 2023 when Richard and Claire moved onsite to their new home, which is separate building from the ones rented by the charity.
The Mission Statement of New Chapel Farm charity
The primary aim of NCF is to bless Christian key workers, along with Christians in positions of leadership, and teams involved in Gospel mission and ministry. NCF also supports restoration by providing a space for teams or groups to get away together and do work that aligns with the restorative purposes of the kingdom of God. The vision is that, through the Holy Spirit’s empowering, NCF will be used to bring restoration locally, nationally, and globally.
Based on Isaiah 61: 1-6, the vision for NCF is to provide a place that enables:
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The good news of the gospel to reach the poor
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The broken-hearted to be healed
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The enslaved to be set free
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Those in darkness to find the light
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Those who mourn to be comforted
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Beauty to replace ashes
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Joy to replace mourning
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Praise to replace despair
We use the term Christian key worker to mean Christians employed by churches, charities, or other organisations in the UK or abroad. Our focus is on Christians working in areas of social deprivation where need is great and resources are few, usually in an urban context. Within this definition, we include anyone living by faith in a missionary context in the UK or abroad. We are also interested in engaging with individuals or groups doing restorative work (where the work aligns with part of the Isaiah 61 definition) but who may not be faith based in their approach.
In practical terms, NCF facilities are available to the following groups to provide:
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a place of privacy and peace for individual or small group retreat/rest
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a place for relaxation with friends or family
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a place for kingdom related teamwork
The vision of NCF also includes seeing those who do not know God restored into a right relationship with Him through the saving faith in His son Jesus Christ. To this end, there are different opportunities throughout the year for visitors to come to events hosted by the NCF team. These times are about hospitality and blessing and provide an opportunity to find out more about the Christian faith. All are welcome to attend these events.
What has been happening?
Since its inception, NCF has built up a network of Christian key workers who regularly use the facilities. These contacts tend to visit NCF at different times throughout the year for different purposes. A typical example might be a Church leader:
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who comes with a team of fellow leaders for a working weekend once or twice a year
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who brings their family in the summer for restoration
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who spends a couple of nights in solitude at the farm on retreat.
During 2025, guests have included the following organisations:
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St Pauls Shadwell, London
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Bow Church, London
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The Good Shepherd Mission (London)
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Grace E20 Church, London
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Novo UK (Various)
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St Lukes, Millwall
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All Saints Church, Ipswich
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No Place Left UK
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Watoto Charity
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East End Church (London)
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Unleashed Church, Ipswich
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St Marys Church, Loughton, Essex
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Tower Hamlets Community Church (London)
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Youth With a Mission
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City of Peace community church
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InnerChange (London)
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Forest Methodist Church Circuit
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Victoria Park Community Church, London
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Cedars Church Ladies group, Stowmarket
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Ambassadors in Sport (London)
The worshipping community that was formed in August 2023 continues to meet at least weekly on the land. There was also a week of prayer and fasting in January and an ongoing pilgrimage of praise and prayer around the churches of the Blyth Valley.
To formalise the arrangement the farmhouse and Bethel buildings are rented via a tenancy agreement between Richard and Claire (as Landlords) and the NCF Charity (as Tenants).
Hosted events:
These events are led by the NCF Trustees and have historically included restoration weekends, men’s weekends, and women’s weekends. During 2025 there was a Day of Praise in February, a women’s weekend in March, June, and October, and a men’s day in June. In December there was a Carol Service. All events were well attended.
Occupancy data
Guest occupancy data for 2025 was as follows (excludes hosted events):
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Farmhouse 28%
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Bethel 18%
Financial matters and how charitable funds are spent
Guests are not charged for staying at NCF but invited to donate to the charity according to their means. Most guests donate, and since inception, the charity has seen a steady growth in income in proportion to the increased use of NCF. Charitable funds are used to pay for:
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Cleaning the property and laundry after guests’ use
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Paying rent to Richard and Claire Tinkler for the use of the property (as per the charity’s governance document)
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Materials (printing booklets and posters, buying books) for hosted weekends or day events
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Food and catering service for hosted weekends
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Website costs (set up and maintenance)
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Zoom account costs
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Subsidising guests on low incomes
The NCF summary accounts are presented below, followed by the independent financial review.
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New Chapel Farm, Registered Charity 1179251
New Chapel Farm
Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31st December 2025
| Receipts Donations Accommodation Donations Income from events Other donations and grants Interest receivable Total Receipts Payments Labour Administration Rent Property costs Event expenses Laundry Total Payments Deficit for the period Balance Sheet as at 31st December 2025 Current account Business Premium Account General Reserves Other Reserves |
£ 18,251 8,300 4,423 1,200 15 |
|---|---|
| 32,189 12,117 2,441 9,108 9,361 2,803 4,138 |
|
| 39,968 | |
| (7,779) | |
| £ 2,990 1,697 |
|
| 4,687 | |
| 2,392 2,295 |
|
| 4,687 |
Assets as at 31Dec25:
Bank balance £4,687
No liabilities
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I report on the accounts of New Chapel Farm for the year ended 31 December 2025 as set out below.
This report is made solely to the Trustees in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act). My independent examination has been undertaken so that I might state to the Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by the law, I do not accept responsibility to anyone other than the Trustees for my independent examination, for this report, or the opinions I have formed.
RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER
The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period (under section 144(2) of the Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
Examine the accounts (under section 145 of the Act);
To follow the procedures laid down in the General Direction given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act); and
To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT
My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity 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 the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other 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.
Graham Nixey
FCCA
29th March 2026
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