Trustees Annual Report
Year ending 31 December 2024.
Welcome to our fourth annual report, to be filed with the Charities commission on xx July 2025.
Our Purpose
The purpose of Bodhicharya UK is to advance the understanding and practice of the Buddhist faith and philosophy by promoting the Bodhicharya principles of healing, helping and harmony. We do this by:
(a) providing meetings, teachings and retreats;
(b) encouraging and participating in interfaith and intercultural dialogue;
(c) promoting and supporting well-being in body, mind and spirit; and
(d) supporting the relief of those in need.
The trustees take account of the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit in all of its activities.
Chairperson’s Statement
The theme of this year has been teamwork and collaboration as we successfully negotiated the lease of a building with our partners at Medway Council for the establishment of Bodhicharya UK’s and Medway’s first Buddhist Centre. In addition to this we have had a fruitful year hosting Buddhist teachings, in-person and online, with local group leaders, as well as internationally recognised visiting teachers, which included an inspiring visit to Rochester by our Patron, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche and a wonderful residential retreat at Aylesford Priory with Tsering Paldron.
Some more highlights of our activity to date include:
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Signed a five year lease on 13th January 2025 with Medway Council for the old Jacksons Field Bowls Club which will act as the new Bodhicharya UK Centre.
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Creating better communication networks and collaboration between Bodhicharya groups in the UK. This has included more online activities and a greater awareness about them across all groups.
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Bodhicharya UK continues to be a member of Medway InterFaith Action (MIFA), with the charity now becoming an active part of Medway’s Interfaith Community which has raised the profile of the Buddhist faith amongst MIFA members. A great example of encouraging and participating in interfaith and intercultural dialogue.
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Supporting Green Tara Animal Sanctuary by way of donations to help support the homing, feeding and medical needs of the animals there. A great example of helping others – in this case abandoned animals.
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Sponsoring the write up of a new Dharma book by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche on death and dying, the first of many such projects we hope to help with in support of the Buddhist tradition.
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Establishing collaborative links with other Buddhist traditions, including the Western Chan Fellowship and the Jodo Shinshu Tradition via two faith leaders also operating in Kent, namely Stuart McLeod and David Quirk-Thornton, with a view to share a space for the study and practice of the Buddha Dharma.
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Taking part in the Medway Faith Leaders’s Forum in Medway, Kent, which aims to increase understanding and collaboration between faith groups and also create a Faith Covenant to help better represent the needs of faith communities within the Local Authority.
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Fostering collaborative links with the Local Authority in Medway, Kent, for the Bodhicharya UK Centre in conjunction with the Western Chan Fellowship and the Jodo Shinshu Tradition. The Centre is envisioned to be a place of healing, helping and harmony where Bodhicharya UK can carry out its objectives for the benefit of the local community and visitors to the area.
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Hosting retreats and teaching events by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche and other Bodhicharya teachers in 2024. This year we hosted a residential retreat at Aylesford Priory with one of our regular visiting teachers, Tsering Paldron. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche also visited Kent and gave teachings over a couple of days. Whilst our patron was here, we took the opportunity to show him the new Centre where he performed a blessing.
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Ongoing support to the Dharma School outreach team. Due to receiving many requests from schools to “visit your Temple” sent to Bodhicharya’s email inbox in Medway, a team of volunteers from Kent and London created the Dharma School outreach programme, which has delivered classes in Buddhism and meditation.
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Incorporation of London as a branch to Bodhicharya UK with £1,682 of funds merged to Bodhicharya UK accounts
We extend our thanks and gratitude to our Patron Ringu Tulku Rinpoche for his continuing inspiration, guidance and support, and to the Medway Mayor at the time, Madame Mayor Nina Gurung (now Councillor Nina Gurung), the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Teresa Murray and David England, Head of Valuation and Asset Management, for their continued encouragement and support in the endeavour to establish the new centre.
Our success is also directly linked to the hard work of our core team, group leaders and network of volunteers and friends throughout the UK who are too numerous to mention. We have made steady progress in difficult times, and I’d like to personally thank everyone for their time, energy, commitment and consistency in moving us forward and helping fulfil our objectives and vision for the benefit of all.
Over the next 12 months we plan to:
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Prepare the Centre so that it is ready for opening later in the year.
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Start to host activities for Bodhicharya UK, The Western Chan Fellowship and Jodo Shinshu, as well as other groups who may want to use the Centre
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Host retreats and teaching events by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche and other Bodhicharya teachers in the UK
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Offer Bodhicharya UK’s donation platform to all Bodhicharya groups in the UK when they host Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, to increase awareness of and donations to the charity
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Create a Legacy Fund option for donors to Bodhicharya UK
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Continue to develop the Dharma School outreach team and offering
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Continue to support Green Tara Animal Sanctuary
Thank you all for an inspiring and beneficial start to the Bodhicharya UK project. I look forward to continuing our work together over the next 12 months and fulfilling the charity’s objectives for the benefit of all.
Financial Summary
For the year ending 31 December 2024, the surplus for the charity increased to £26,730 from £4,161 at the end of 2023. This increase is largely due to the generous gift donated from former Trustee and Treasurer David Fry, following the execution of his will. The bank balance position of the charity has therefore strengthened from £10,906 at the end of 2023 to £37,636 at the end of 2024. This is a good position for the charity to be in going into 2025 and entering a new lease for the Centre. The Trustees have decided to invest a portion of these funds into a savings account, whilst ensuring the necessary funds for 2025 are available in the charity’s current account.
Administrative Details
Charity registration number: 1190768; constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Principal address : 43 Trinity Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME71JA
Trustees :
Cesare Saguato (Chair) Jay Rao (Treasurer) Sally MacKinnon Stuart McCleod Michele Sisto
Notes
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These accounts are prepared on receipts and payments in line with Charity Commission guidelines.
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Donations are from online donations, meetings, larger events and direct gifts.
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Administrative expenses relate to the cost of providing IT, online meeting platform costs and PayPal charges.
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The work of the charity is undertaken by volunteers. Trustees, and other volunteers may from time to time provide services to the organisation for which they may be compensated.
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the accounts in Appendix 1.
| Signature: | |
|---|---|
| Full name: Jay Rao |
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| Position: | Treasurer |
| Date: 17 May 2025 |
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Brenda Peers-Ross 29 Drift Road Selsey Chichester West Sussex PO20 0PW
To the Trustees: BODHICHARYA UK Registered Charity Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Number: 1190768
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS
Responsibilities and basis of report I have Independently Examined the Financial Statements on form CC16a, for the financial year ending 31[st] December 2024.
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
As the charity’s trustees, you are responsible for the preparations of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”). The charity’s Trustees consider an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent examination is needed.
I report on my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission and in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with these records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you and the trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’, and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next statement.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act: or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records.
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.
Brenda Peers-Ross
Brenda Peers-Ross FMAAT ACIE 21[st] July 2025