2025-03-31-accounts - Charles Amherst's Almshouses

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] April 2024 Period start date To 31[st] March 2025 Period end date

Charity name: Charles Amherst’s Almshouses

Charity registration number:209602

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	Almshouses for blind or impotent persons who have resided in the ancient parish of Pembury for not less than two years next preceding the time of appointment. Any surplus income to be applied for the benefit of almspeople.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Provision and maintenance of almshouses
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The Trustees have had regard to the guidance published by the Charity Commission and believe that all our activities are for the benefit of needy residents in our area of benefit.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

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SORP reference
Para 1.38 N/A
Policy on grant making
Para 1.38
Policy on social investment N/A
including program related
investment
Volunteers regularly visit the residents
Para 1.38 of the amlshouses and arrange for the
Contribution made by maintenance of their properties.
volunteers
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Other

Achievements and Performance

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SORP reference
Summary of the main We have completely renovated the
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Achievements and Performance	Achievements and Performance	Achievements and Performance
SORP reference
Summary of the main		We have completely renovated the
achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	downstairs toilet in one of the properties, following the damp work at that property. We agreed the tender documents for the outside front decoration and work. 2 tenders were received and with advice one was accepted. Unfortunately, the agreed work was not able to be carried out during the year and had to be postponed until the following year. Usual maintenance and replacement of equipment has continued. We have paid half of the surveyor’s fees for the forthcoming work following acceptance of the tender as agreed. We continue to build up the various reserve accounts for the cost of the forthcoming work and potential roof replacement.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	We simply collect the Weekly Maintenance contributions, monitoring the likely future cost of maintenance and repairs.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	For the moment the liquid assets of the charity re held in cash. Once the major decoration works have been finished, we will re-evaluate the situation. It is likely that the bulk of the money in the Extraordinary Repair Reserve will at that stage be invested on a longer-term basis.
Other

Financial Review

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Review of the charity’s Para 1.21 We have ended the year with an
financial position at the end operating surplus of £21,454.38. This will
of the period be added to our ear-marked reserves,
especially for future roof work and
redecoration.
Statement explaining the Para 1.22 Reserves are held for future
policy for holding reserves maintenance. One reserve is to build up
stating why they are held a reserve to overhaul the roof in 10 – 20
years time. We are told that at current
prices this will cost £120K. There is a
reserve for routine maintenance. Finally,
there is a reserve for exterior re-
decoration etc. which happens every 5
years. The buildings were built in 1715.
We have also now started to build up a
reserve for future boiler replacement.
Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 At the end of the period we held
reserves of £148,516.35. This is held as
follows:
Extraordinary Repair - £73,422.47
Cyclical Maintenance - £49,093.88
General - £22,000.00
Boiler Replacement - £4,000.00
When the works are carried out it is
likely to cost £40-£50K and will largely
wipe out the Cyclical Maintenance
Reserve and take some money from the
Extraordinary Repair Reserve as a result
of roof work.
Reasons for holding zero Para 1.22 N/A
reserves
Details of fund materially in Para 1.24 N/A
deficit
Explanation of any Para 1.23 N/A
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern
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Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	The Charity’s principal source of funds is the Weekly Maintenance Contributions received from residents.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	The investment objectives are safely to grow the fund as much as possible for use in the future maintenance of the buildings.
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	Investment risk in the future. Risk of having insufficient sums should major works be required and insufficient reserves be held.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Scheme of Trust.
How is the charity constituted? (e.g. unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Unincorporated Association.
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	The Scheme of 1953 provides: a. One ex-officio trustee being the Vicar for the time being of Pembury b. 3 representative trustees – being 2 by the Parish Council of Pembury and 1 by the committee for the time being of The Pembury Women’s Institute c. One Co-optative Trustee.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	A policy for the Induction of Trustees was last reviewed and approved in June 2022.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The Charity is a member of The Almshouse Association.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	None known
Other

Reference and Administrative details

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Charity name Charles Amherst’s Almshouses
Other name the charity uses Pembury Almshouses
Registered charity number 209602
Charity’s principal address 7 Batchelors
Pembury
Tunbridge Wells
Kent, TN2 4ED.
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Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
Nigel Morris Chairman Appointed 8 [th] September Pembury Parish Council
1
Stratton 2022
Nicola Jane Phipps Appointed 6 [th] October Appointed by Pembury
2
2023 Women's Institute
3 Margaret Weaver Appointed 1 [st] May 2022 Pembury Parish Council
Pauline Edith Resigned from 1 [st] June Co-optative Trustee
4
Franks 2024
Rev Richard Mark Vicar of Pembury
5
Worssam
Janet Winifred Appointed 9 [th] September Co-optative Trustee.
6
Pegg 2024
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name N/A

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

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Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
N/A
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Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity	N/A
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects	N/A
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets	N/A

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of	Name	Address
adviser
Surveyor	Tyson Sheppard	Bracketts Chartered Surveyors, 27-29 High Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1UU.
Auditor	Alan Hughes	7, Henwoods Crescent, Pembury, TN2 4LJ.
Treasurer	John Franks	44, Ridgeway, Pembury, TN2 4ES

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

N/A

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Nigel Morris Stratton Position (eg Secretary, Chair Chair, etc) Date 28th August 2025

CharlesAmherst's Almshouses, Pembury Statement ofacrAJunt for ended 31st. Mar March'25 WMC from piopethes Bank Error ! No.19 Natlonwde interest paid Ltoyds Bank Interest pald BBC refund o'pymt on alc N.Barden Total Income 29.830.00 £40 1.741.82 1.505.39 106.00 33.223.21 Expenditure M8lnteriaiKe- Rijbf l(Samp Boilers 720.00 85.00 Plumber Minor fepairs Repairs toilet No.9 Archite¢tF"ees Replace oven No. 17 Security Garden Sub total S.E.Water Insufance Subs. Alm.Assn. T.V.'s Gardenwaste Bin5 169.99 711.75 1.089.00 755.23 685. 7.694.60 1,520.89 1.620.55 353.00 30.00 180.00 Keslther)Qs Gilts Repay o'pymtWMC's treasurers Expenses Net Income in exce55 of Expenditure 300.00 50.00 19.79 -11,768.83 21.454.38 Funds forwar(J frorn Lastyear Lloyds Bank Nationwide Call Account Nationw6de Investmeni 61.346.62 1.00 65.714.35 127.061.97 TotalAssets at year end 148,516.35 Represented ty Lioyds bankcurrent account less ols chqs Lioyds Bank Invesime Nation¥•ide investment 51.733.70 -755.23 50.978.47 36.012.72 36.012.72 61.525.16 61,525.16 148,516.35 PaEe l. continie(F oveileaf

Charles Amherst's Almshouses- Statement ofAccount For the year ended 3110312025 contlnued Property repairs House All Amount 3.068.64 720.00 Archftect Root Boiler Mjnor rep All Plumber All 13 85.00 711.75 15 169.99 9 1.089.00 17 409.99 755.23 685.00 7.694.60 ien reps Security Garden Auditors Ststement /AnL/' /ickr& Omd E/- /TrL/i/, /<L*fjo.- /fr /L9 Page 2.