Charity Commission Trustees’ Annual Report for 2024
H O Roe Charity
Charity Registration number 1190706
Address: 61 Church Road, Stotfold, Hitchin SG5 4NE
Trustees:
Revd William Britt Jennifer Bennett Patrick Joseph Partington Harris Elizabeth Jane Hyde Stephen William Hayes
Structure & Management
The H O Roe Charity was registered as a CIO Foundation on 3 August 2020. Its trustees are the Vicar and two Churchwardens of St Mary the Virgin, the Church of England Parish Church in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, plus two appointed members. The charity manages and runs a community centre called the Roecroft Centre adjunct to the church and maintains a residential rental property at 97 Church Road.
Activities and objectives in 2024
The H O Roe Charity completed a £256,000 refurbishment of the Roecroft Centre by giving the former Victorian school an entrance, internal floors and toilets accessible to the disabled and added a catering kitchen. Grants were obtained and work began on 9 September 2023 and the building partially reopened in January 2024 without the kitchen and the project was completed in May. An Official Open Day was held on 10 August.
Regular hiring at the Roecroft Centre was healthy and long-term tenants of the residential property continued. Regular hirers included youth clubs, art club, bridge club, puppy training, exercise classes and mental health support groups.
The Charity continued to advance the Christian religion through grants to St Mary’s Church to help fund an Associate Minister/Schools Chaplain. The centre was also used in 2024 for meals and discussion groups for people inquiring
about Christianity, Christian discipleship courses, a young families worship service, church youth group and fellowship meals for the church and community.
Financial Review:
Total income from the Roecroft Centre and Church Road for 2024, excluding grants for the refurbishment, was £26,855 compared to £27,840 in 2023.
Expenditure on maintenance and running costs of 97 Church Road and the Roecroft Centre was £23,628, compared to £22,422 in 2023. Operating income exceeded expenditure by £3,237.
It ended the year with cash reserves of £72,880, compared with £72,978 in 2023.
During 2024 the charity received an additional £71,000 in refurbishment grants and an additional £74,334 payment was made on the Roecroft Centre refurbishment.
Governing document:
CIO - FOUNDATION Registered 03 Aug 2020
What the charity does: Religious Activities Recreation Who the charity helps: No information available How the charity helps: Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space Where the charity operates: Central Bedfordshire
(1) TO ADVANCE THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION IN THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN, STOTFOLD AND THE SURROUNDING AREA FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE HOLDING OF PRAYER MEETINGS, LECTURES, PUBLIC CELEBRATION OF RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS, PRODUCING AND/OR DISTRIBUTING LITERATURE ON CHRISTIANITY TO ENLIGHTEN OTHERS
ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. (2) TO FURTHER OR BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN, STOTFOLD AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RACE OR OF POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR OTHER OPINIONS BY ASSOCIATING TOGETHER THE SAID RESIDENTS AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES, VOLUNTARY AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS IN A COMMON EFFORT TO ADVANCE EDUCATION AND TO PROVIDE FACILITIES IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR RECREATION AND LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS. IN FURTHERANCE OF THESE OBJECTS BUT NOT OTHERWISE, THE TRUSTEES SHALL HAVE POWER: TO ESTABLISH OR SECURE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY CENTRE AND TO MAINTAIN OR MANAGE OR CO-OPERATE WITH ANY STATUTORY AUTHORITY IN THE MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF SUCH A CENTRE FOR ACTIVITIES PROMOTED BY THE CHARITY IN FURTHERANCE OF THE ABOVE OBJECTS.