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2025-09-04-accounts

Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

Charity Number : 1211041

Reporting Period : 24 November 2024 - 31 December 2025 Registered Address : 3 Smallridge Close, Wirral, CH61 8TS. Website : www.stbenedictthethaumaturgecharity.org.uk

Introduction

The Trustees of Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge are pleased to present this Trustees’ Annual Report covering the period from 24 November 2024 to 31 December 2025. The charity was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 24 November 2024 and operates as a Christian charity committed to faith-driven service, poverty relief, advocacy, and practical support for vulnerable people.

Since its registration, the charity has maintained active engagement through daily online meetings and regular Friday physical fellowship and coordination meetings. The organisation also works closely with partners in Africa and France to support its humanitarian and faith-based outreach activities.

Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge works under the spirit of “ A Helping Hand ” , providing practical assistance and compassionate outreach to people facing hardship, including orphans, vulnerable children, elderly people, disadvantaged families, refugees, and marginalised communities. The charity’s work is rooted in Christian values, dignity, compassion, and service to humanity.

During the period under review, the charity continued to build its presence in England and internationally, particularly through partnerships and volunteer-led outreach in Cameroon, France, Belgium, and other locations. The charity also maintained regular fellowship and coordination meetings, including physical Friday meetings and online engagement.

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Countries of Operation and Partnership 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.2 0.0 England Cameroon France Eelgium

Objectives and Charitable Purpose

The charitable objects of Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge are to advance the Christian religion in accordance with the doctrines outlined in the Apostle’s Creed for the benefit of the public worldwide. In achieving this purpose, the charity carries out Christian fellowship, evangelistic activities, Christian mission, poverty relief programmes, and Christian education, including activities that support young people, poor and disadvantaged persons, marginalised groups, prisoners and ex-prisoners, and those needing literacy support.

The charity’s broader objectives include:

The Charity Commission records the charity’s activities under “religious activities”, and identifies its beneficiaries as children and young people, elderly people, people with disabilities, other defined groups, and the general public. It also records that the charity supports beneficiaries by providing services, advocacy, advice, and information.

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Mission, Vision and Values

The mission of Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge is to bring hope, dignity, and practical support to vulnerable individuals and communities affected by poverty, hardship, and social exclusion. Guided by Christian faith, the charity seeks to provide not only material support such as food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, and education, but also friendship, emotional care, and human connection.

The charity’s vision is to inspire and empower young people through volunteering, compassion, and community support. It seeks to create safe and supportive environments where vulnerable children and young adults can grow with dignity, confidence, and hope.

The charity’s values include:

These values guide the charity’s activities in England and Wales and in countries where it has connections, including Cameroon, France, Belgium, Canada, Gabon, and Angola

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Activities During the Reporting Period

During the reporting period, Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge carried out a range of humanitarian, faith-based, and community support activities in both the United Kingdom and Cameroon. The charity remained operational through regular Friday physical meetings and daily online engagement among volunteers, trustees, and international partners. These meetings helped coordinate charitable outreach, strengthen partnerships, and support the delivery of services to vulnerable communities.

The charity also maintained active collaboration with partners in Africa and France as part of its international volunteer and humanitarian network. These partnerships contributed to planning and supporting charitable activities focused on poverty relief, orphan care, community support, and humanitarian outreach.

One of the charity’s major outreach activities took place in December 2024, when volunteers visited an orphanage in Cameroon and provided practical support including food, beds, clothes, and shoes. This initiative was aimed at improving the welfare and living conditions of vulnerable children while also providing emotional support, encouragement, and companionship.

During the summer of 2025, the charity organised visits to care homes in the United Kingdom, where volunteers provided Afro-Caribbean singing and dancing activities for residents. These activities promoted emotional wellbeing, companionship, cultural inclusion, and social interaction among elderly residents and vulnerable individuals living in care environments.

The charity also carried out care home outreach activities in Cameroon, where volunteers distributed welfare items including food, drinks, slippers, jumpers, and other provisions to vulnerable residents. These outreach efforts reflected the charity’s commitment to restoring dignity, comfort, and hope to disadvantaged individuals and communities.

In August 2025, Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge organised an Afro-Caribbean Festival in Liverpool. The event promoted community engagement, volunteer participation, cultural celebration, and awareness of the charity’s humanitarian mission and outreach work.

The Trustees believe these activities significantly contributed to the charity’s objectives of relieving poverty, supporting vulnerable people, promoting social inclusion, and demonstrating Christian compassion through practical service.

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Beneficiaries and Public Benefit

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under the Charities Act to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge exists to support vulnerable individuals and communities through faith-driven humanitarian service, poverty relief activities, and compassionate outreach. The charity’s activities are intended to benefit the public, particularly disadvantaged children, elderly people, vulnerable families, homeless individuals, and people experiencing hardship or social exclusion.

During the reporting period, the charity demonstrated public benefit through direct humanitarian support provided to orphanages and care homes in Cameroon. This included the provision of food, beds, clothes, shoes, drinks, slippers, jumpers, and other welfare items to vulnerable individuals and communities.

The charity also promoted emotional wellbeing and social inclusion through visits to care homes in the United Kingdom, where volunteers organised Afro-Caribbean singing and dancing activities for elderly residents. These activities encouraged companionship, cultural engagement, emotional support, and community connection for individuals who may otherwise experience isolation or loneliness.

In addition, the charity promoted community cohesion and volunteer engagement through its Afro-Caribbean Festival held in Liverpool in August 2025. The festival created opportunities for cultural celebration, awareness raising, community participation, and support for the charity’s humanitarian mission.

The Trustees believe that the charity’s activities provided clear and meaningful public benefit by addressing practical needs, promoting dignity and wellbeing, supporting vulnerable populations, and encouraging compassion, volunteerism, and community solidarity.

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Orphanage
Rehabilitation
Support
Community
Poverty Relief
Outreach
Programme Education
Elderly Care
Focus Areas Support
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Governance and Trustee Responsibilities

Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge is governed by its Board of Trustees, who are responsible for the overall management, administration, and strategic direction of the charity. The Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the charity operates in accordance with its charitable objectives, governing document, and applicable charity law and regulations.

The charity operates primarily through a volunteer-led structure. Trustees and volunteers contribute their time, skills, and experience to support charitable activities, programme coordination, partnership engagement, and outreach delivery. The Trustees confirm that no trustee receives remuneration or personal financial benefit from the charity.

Governance and operational coordination are supported through regular Friday physical meetings and daily online engagement among trustees, volunteers, and programme coordinators. These meetings provide opportunities for planning, accountability, decision-making, volunteer coordination, and review of ongoing charitable activities.

The charity also maintains communication and collaborative engagement with partners in Africa and France. These international relationships support the charity’s humanitarian outreach activities, particularly those focused on orphan support, care home assistance, community welfare, and poverty relief initiatives.

The Trustees currently include:

The Trustees remain committed to maintaining effective governance practices, accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship of the charity’s resources and activities. Bishop André Jules Merlin Libam provides spiritual leadership and guidance for the charity’s faith-based mission and activities. His role supports the charity’s Christian fellowship, spiritual direction, and humanitarian outreach initiatives.

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Financial Review

According to the Charity Commission records available as at 4 September 2025, the Charity Commission records total income of £7,000 and total expenditure of £6,900. The Commission also records that total income included £150 from one government contract.

The charity’s financial resources were used to support its charitable mission, including poverty relief, outreach, practical assistance, and community activities. As a young and recently registered charity, Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge is still developing its financial systems, fundraising capacity, and reporting structures.

The Trustees confirm that the charity is volunteer-led and that trustees do not receive remuneration, payments, or personal benefits from the charity.

The charity does not currently own or lease land or property, according to the Charity Commission record.

Going forward, the Trustees aim to strengthen financial recordkeeping, improve fundraising systems, and develop clearer budgets for programme delivery, particularly for education support, care home outreach, rehabilitation programmes, and poverty relief projects in Cameroon and other areas of operation.

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Financial Summary12025) 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 11 Income (£) Expenditure (£) Balance (£) li

Challenges, Future Plans and Conclusion

As a newly registered charity, Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge continues to develop its operational capacity, volunteer network, fundraising systems, and community partnerships. While the charity has already undertaken important outreach activities, the Trustees recognise that there is still significant need within the communities they serve.

In the coming year, the charity intends to strengthen its humanitarian and community support activities both within the United Kingdom and internationally, particularly in Cameroon. The Trustees aim to expand support for orphanages, vulnerable children, care homes, disadvantaged families, and individuals affected by poverty and hardship through sustainable outreach and partnership initiatives.

In December 2025, the charity continued its orphanage outreach activities in Cameroon as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable children and disadvantaged communities through practical assistance, fellowship, and humanitarian support.

The Trustees further plan to:

The Trustees remain fully committed to the charity’s mission of bringing hope, dignity, compassion, and practical support to vulnerable people and communities. Through faith, volunteerism, and collective action, Saint Benedict the Thaumaturge will continue striving to be “A Helping Hand” to those most in need.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees:

______ Lauree Cashin Chair, Board of Trustees

Date: _____

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