## **Trustee Annual Report Sri Bhakti Seva Trust**
## **End of Year 2024/2025**
## Introduction
First of all, a big thank you to everyone reading this report, because if you’ve been sent this, then you have made a huge contribution to the successful financial situation of this year. I’m not going to report on the financial minutiae, as the accounts will be finalised in the next couple of months and you will all have access to them. But I would like to discuss in brief the difficulties, but more the successes achieved.
## The current situation
I am pleased that for the third year, we have paid our bills on time, paid our mortgage repayments on time and not gone into an overdraft situation with the bank.
It has been difficult, but everyone has played a part and I’d like to touch on a few areas of help, not for glorification, however, certainly for thanks, but mainly for indicators of aspects of success going forwards.
Firstly, big thanks to Ravi and Harsha for freeing up Radharani’s Retreat. Without the second Airbnb we would be bankrupt. Donations from Richard Harborne. Steady, monthly donations from a group of 12 devotees. Lila and Tulsi’s work on making the Airbnbs and the ashram a beautiful space. Baba, allowing us the GiftAid on Richard’s donations. Tulsi caring for the bank card, receipts and spending. Jai Lalita being available at a moment’s notice to claim GiftAid and send info to Sheila. Mario for rescuing the conservatory at reduced fees.
Sheila and Gitti (bookkeeper and accountant), for their endeavour and low invoices. And finally, Lilija. I know we pay her, but her work is exemplary…. This is only a partial list.
Now, financially speaking, we have ended the year with a credit balance, adequate to see us through one month. This is not great, but it has been worse. Ideally, I’d like to see around three months worth of funds, available at any time
Now, after a discussion with Lila, around the difficulties during winter, when Airbnb income reduces, I’m going this week to open a deposit account and deposit whatever I think will be available for future use. Anything left over in Spring, can be used to pay down the mortgage. This would be in an ideal situation.
Main Costs
The mortgage - £1122 per calendar month. interest only
Utilities- Gas and electric. This has reduced from £700 per month to £360 per month. I’m not sure why….
Insurance - increasing from £150 per month to £190 per month
Food and supplies - varies but around £500 (This amazes me, considering the number of people benefiting).
Going Forward
The Mortgage
I don’t know why, but I’m having serious difficulties in acquiring a standard retail mortgage. We have equity of 80% in the building and the improvements (new Airbnb, new conservatory, decor improvements), must be adding value! One of the reasons I’m told is that the mortgage companies do not take donations into account! So I’m moving cost centres such as when devotees stay in the ashram, their payments are not donations, but payments! Hari Priya’s substantial payments are no longer donations, but payment for services (which in effect they are). I will keep on trying, on completion of these accounts to secure us a mortgage.
## Grant Funding
I’ve now applied for three grants, rejected outright for one, asked to improve and resubmit another and am waiting for a third. The biggest obstacle is that we’re a ‘spiritual movement’ and they don’t like giving grants to religions. But I know for a fact that Islamic communities are given huge grants for things such as ‘Community Centres’ and similar.
I am committed to submitting at least 25 grant applications this year. There is money to be found this way. I feel the food distribution deserves grants, giving us the opportunity to expand to different towns and different days! We should be able next winter to distribute blankets and clothes.
But I feel our biggest area of opportunity, which in our modern society is also coincidentally our greatest need is the ‘Well Being Centre’ in Sriji Mandir! Therapies to help people suffering all sorts of emotional and mental issues. If we are successful at all with grant funding, maybe we will be able to start paying down the mortgage and reduce or pay it off eventually that way.
## Other Opportunities
We have discussed this endlessly! Anything at all in addition to what we already have will help us financially. If someone is brave enough to start a small food enterprise, it will have a major positive effect on finances! The same, if donations can be acquired from Sriji Mandir therapy activities. Occasional events, such as Lila’s kitchen appeal should continue.
## Conclusion
Baba has requested that we save and protect the ashram. This, therefore, is the priority (in my opinion).
We are in a better position than last year, though far from out of the woods yet!
Anthony GC Bate
Chair Trustees
Sent from my iPhone
## **CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1196157**
## **SRI BHAKTI SEVA TRUST**
## **INDEPENDENTLY EXAMINED**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED**
**31 MARCH 2025**
## **SRI BHAKTI SEVA TRUST**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **CONTENTS**
||Page|
|---|---|
|Trustees' Annual Report|1 - 2|
|Independent Examiner's Report|3|
|Receipts and Payments Account|4|
|Statement of Assets and Liabilities|5|
|Notes|6|
## **SRI BHAKTI SEVA TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1196157**
**The charity’s principal address is:** 74 Malkin Street, Clitheroe, BB7 2RW
## **Names of the charity trustees:**
Anthony Bate Claire Wade Ravi Pandey Joanne Bate Jacqueline Strand
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 14th October 2021. The governing document sets out that there must be a minimum of three trustees at any time and the existing trustees have the power to appoint new members to the board of trustees.
## **Objectives and activities**
The governing document sets out the objectives of the charity as follows: The advancement of the Vaishnava Hindu faith for the benefit of the public in accordance with teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu worldwide mainly but not exclusively through the provision of place of worship, religious education and to provide pastoral care for the community.
The prevention or relief of poverty by providing grants, items and services to individuals or such charitable associations, bodies and organisations as the charity trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit, in particular to support the charitable work of Sri Raman Bihari Dasa Babaji and our associate charity the Sri Radhey Seva Trust.
Currently, the social activities being regularly undertaken is the Wednesday and Saturdays (1pm) distribution of free vegetarian food (Prasadam) on the streets of Glastonbury to predominantly the homeless. But anyone can take this and benefit from delicious, healthy, vegetarian fayre! We are in the process of opening our ‘Well Being Centre’, offering free therapies to people with emotional and mental issues. These include Yoga, Reiki, Breathworks etc. We hope to part fund this from successful charity grants.
The trustees confirm that they have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit.
## **Achievement and performance**
These past twelve months have seen challenges, previously unforeseen. The main issue has been remaining solvent, with the high rate, interest only mortgage still being the only one available to us. We are actively seeking a remortgage.
Upgrades and refurbishment have been carried out in several areas, kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. This will be a continuous process throughout the next year. Fortunately, our Airbnb continues to show high occupancy levels. The conservatory has been rebuilt.
Page 1
**SRI BHAKTI SEVA TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT CONTINUED**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1196157**
We intend to increase social activities, as funds allow. This winter, we aim to provide clothing and blankets to the homeless. The free meals provision continues weekly. And a range of spiritual activities take place through the week.
Throughout July and August, we again hosted Guruji and three assistants from India, who willingly give up their time to support the mission in Glastonbury, UK.
## **Financial Review**
Sri Bhakti Seva Trust received donations from individuals and small organisations. It also received income from Air B&B. Accumulated reserves and income received during the year were expended according to decisions made by the trustees in line with the charity's objectives. We are about to begin the process of applying for grants, from benefactors who support our social work. The lottery will be our first application.
The reserve policy of the charity is to only hold sufficient funds to honour financial commitments made to specific projects which span over several years. There were no material commitments to specific projects in this and the preceding accounting period. As at 31 March 2025 the charity has unrestricted funds of £524,455 (£506,079 - 2024).
The trustees declare that they approved the trustee’s report above.
Anthony Bate - Trustee
Date signed: 14 August 2025
Page 2
## **SRI BHAKTI SEVA TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1196157**
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Sri Bhakti Seva Trust**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Sri Bhakti Seva Trust for the year ended 31 March 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’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.
## **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:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those 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.
Date signed: 14 August 2025
Birgit Kotschi FCCA Selwood Accounts and Tax Ltd 36 Selwood Road Glastonbury BA6 8HW
Page 3
## **SRI BHAKTI SEVA TRUST**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS**
|**Receipts**
Donations
Gift aid tax refunds
Sale of goods/services and ABnB
Sub total
**Asset and investment sales**
Loan from trustee A Bate
Sub total
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
Cost of charitable activities
Governance costs
Bank loan interest
Sub total
**Asset and investment purchases**
Land and buildings
Equipment
Bank loan repaid
Loan converted into donation - trustee A Bate
Sub total
**Total payments**
**Net receipts (payments) for the period**
Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
61,074
8,901
22,535
92,510
4,000
4,000
96,510
51,137
9,533
13,464
74,134
-
3,720
-
20,146
23,866
98,000
(1,490)
2,586
1,096|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|**Total funds**
**2025**
**£**
61,074
8,901
22,535
92,510
4,000
4,000
96,510
51,137
9,533
13,464
74,134
-
3,720
-
20,146
23,866
98,000
(1,490)
2,586
1,096|**Last year**
**2024**
**£**
17,747
6,408
24,701
48,856
10,000
10,000
58,856
47,348
3,724
34,610
85,682
4,838
1,095
15,000
-
20,933
106,615
(47,759)
50,345
2,586|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Page 4
## **SRI BHAKTI SEVA TRUST**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
## **AT THE END OF 31 MARCH 2025**
|**Cash Funds**
Bank and cash accounts
Total Receipts
**Assets retained for the**
**charity's own use**
Land and buidings
F & F and Equipment
**Liabilities**
Anthony Bate - interest free loan
Bank loan|**Unrestricted funds**
**2025**
**£**
1,096
1,096
674,523
7,836
682,359
(14,000)
(145,000)
(159,000)|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|**Total funds**
**2025**
**£**
1,096
1,096
674,523
7,836
682,359
(14,000)
(145,000)
(159,000)|**Last year**
**2024**
**£**
2,586
2,586
674,523
4,116
678,639
(30,146)
(145,000)
(175,146)|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Anthony Bate - Trustee (Trustee)
On behalf of all the trustees of Sri Bhakti Seva Trust
Date signed: 14 August 2025
Page 5
## **SRI BHAKTI SEVA TRUST**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **NOTES**
## **1. Particulars of any guarantees given by the CIO**
There are no potential liabilities under any guarantee outstanding at the date of the statement of assets and liabilities.
## **2. Particulars of any debt outstanding**
There is no debt outstanding at the date of the statement of assets and liabilities which is owed by the CIO and which is secured by an express charge on any of the assets of the CIO.
Page 6
Sri Bhakti Seva Trust
Independent Examination 31 March 2025
## _**Elections and appointments**_
- Selwood Accounts and Tax Ltd has been appointed to prepare the accounts and undertake the independent examination.
- The trustees elect, under section 133 of the Charities Act 2011, to prepare Receipts and Payments Accounts.
- Trustees elect for independent examination (under Charities Act 2011 section 145(1)).
## _**Confirmations**_
- There are no subsidiaries or branches of the charity.
- There are no grant conditions demanding an audit of the accounts instead of an independent examination.
- The charity’s code of conduct, objectives, organisational structure and its activities have not changed since its formation.
- The charity has sufficient funds to pay all its debts and meet its financial obligations.
- The trustees have no reason to believe that the charity will run out of funds in the foreseeable future.
- No restricted donations were received during the year, all donations were unrestricted.
- Sri Bhakti Seva Trust or its trustees are not, acting as custodian trustees for other charities (Explanation of custodian trustee: a custodian trustee is a corporate body, such as a Parish Council or the Official Custodian of Charities. Whilst the Custodian Trustee holds the title to all property on behalf of the charity, it does not take part in the day-to-day management and operation of the charity)
-
## _**Recommendations**_
- Last year I recommended that there should be better control over the recording of cash donations and cash expenses. This is now being addressed in paying Edit Farkas at the Ashram with the help of others to take control of the cash etc.
- Gift aid claims. Last year I did not receive the claim forms but have done for this year.
- No other recommendations to be made
Signed by:
………………………………………………………..
Trustee
On behalf of Sri Bhakti Seva Trust
Date: