## **The Trustees of Coningsby Hospital Annual Report to December 2022 Charity Number 218679** ## **The Charity** The Charity exists to continue the aims of its benefactor, Sir Thomas Coningsby, who in 1614 provided individual homes for twelve exservitors from the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. The Charity currently operates to provide support to those who are elderly or infirm, to relieve poverty and to advance education and religion for the public benefit. ## **The Buildings** The buildings comprise six dwellings forming three sides of a quadrangle and the adjoining Coach House. The quadrangle is completed on the north side by the early 13thC hospice of the Knights Hospitallers of St.John in Jerusalem. The almshouses and Hospice building are constructed in local sandstone and weathered under a sandstone slate pitched roof on a timber frame. The Coningsby Hospital complex is Listed Grade II*. ## **The Residents** In 2022 there were nine residents living in the seven almshouses comprising six ladies and three gentlemen, one of whom is the son of a resident. The residents provide a monthly rent for their accommodation which is ring-fenced for maintenance of their homes. One of our retired gentleman residents with an army career behind him was accepted as a Pensioner at Chelsea Hospital in London and left Coningsby in September. The vacant almshouse was filled by a new resident from 1[st] December. ## **The Chapel and Museum** The Knights Hospitaller building houses the Chapel and medieval museum. The Chaplain, The Revd Prebendary Andrew Talbot-Ponsonby, conducts a service of the Eucharist or Matins on the first Tuesday in each month. This service is open to not only the residents and trustees but also the general public. The Knights Hospitaller building also includes the museum on two floors. The museum is open to the public from 11am to 3pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays from April to October annually. There is no charge for admission and we receive no local grant support and so the museum relies solely on donations from visitors for income. The museum is the only extant museum dedicated to St.John outside the HQ in Clerkenwell London. During the 2022 season we had 693 visitors including private group visits. ## **Gas Boiler** The six almshouses are served by a gas boiler for central heating the account for which is paid by the trustees (the seventh almshouse is electricity only). At this difficult time with energy supplies, all the residents have agreed to pay £250 / almshouse out of their Government grant to the trustees account to help cover the gas running costs. ## **Maintenance** - i) Maintenance of the buildings fabric has been a feature of the last two years. Following roof repairs to the Chapel and museum roofs and the east and west ranges of the almshouses in 2021, further work continued in 2022. - ii) This included re-leading of the rear gutters to the main chimney stacks, further repairs to missing or slipped slates and the replacement of a ridge tile on the Chapel roof, and the replacement of the lead flashing to the north pitch of the Chapel gable. - iii) A temporary roof protection was provided to the single storey extension to the Coachman`s house/ the seventh almshouse against ingress of rainwater. A full repair will be carried out in 2023 when sufficient grant aid is available. - iv) A bulging section of the south gable to the seventh almshouse was rebuilt by the cathedral mason late in 2021 and invoice settled in 2022. - v) A specialist was engaged to inspect roof timbers in the Chapel where death- watch beetle infestation was reported in the 2021 Quinqennial Inspection. A report was presented confirming infestation limited to two roof frame members. Application of the recommended treatment is outstanding. - vi) Electrical upgrading of the installations in almshouses nos. 1, 3, 4 and 5 was carried out during the year including earthing the systems. Almshouses 2 and 6 are to be upgraded in 2023. - vii) Improvements to the lighting and power circuits in the Chapel and Museum was also carried out in 2022. - viii) The vacating of almshouse No.4 in September allowed much repair and upgrading to be carried out including repairs to the water tank support, new plastered ceiling areas in the bathroom and kitchen, new carpets and walls re-decorated throughout. ## **Finance** The maintenance expenditure in recent years has prompted the trustees to consider the increasing vulnerability of the Coningsby finances and to this effect we have entered into discussions with the Chief Operating Officer and Chapter Clerk at Hereford Cathedral with a view to merge Coningsby Hospital with the Cathedral Almshouse Charities. This will probably take place in 2023 though at this stage no definite date can be stated. Peter Harris - Trustee and Acting Chairman January 2023 3:42 PM Coningsby Hospital UK Balance Sheet- Prev Year Comparison As of 31 March 2022 1410V22 Accrual Bdsi5 31 Mar 22 31 Mar 21 £ Changp % ChaThJe ASSETS Other Asset$ GCLA-COIF- i M&G- Charrty nwtti asset- acc Total Other Assets Q) 19.W54 17.813.31 '? 46.233.￿ 43.467. 67.591.12 67,Ml.52 1,544.23 4,766.37 6.310.&) 8.7% 11.0% 10.3% Current Assds Other cy￿ent Assets 2,333.Q) .2,333(K) 1.125.LKI 10.co 3,458.0) .2.YZ3.LNJ -l(K).O% 0.9% prepald Insurance 1.1￿.(Al 1.135. -67.2% Cash at bank arvj in h*KI cash in hand HSBC current accothl HSBC de￿slI xcourt fft). Trtal Cash •t and in hand .10 .10 T.8￿>.￿ 15.802.32 -7,951.66 22.1￿35 ￿,178.94 2,￿1.41 1.031.01 .047.& -6.016.35 -10).0% 9.9% -16.7% Total Cutr#)t Assds 31.166.01 ￿.ScO.36 4,339.35 -21.1 Cuwrent Liablutks other Cuwrent Liab￿111￿5 AccruaS5 Defened fj￿( 1.219.(K) 7,lo).rx) 7.SX).(X) 4C() CQ 7.676.(K) 8,719.(Kl -1,043.Q) -52.8% T(*al Crther Cuwrert Liabilii -12.0% Total cu￿ert Liabiliiie5 7.676. 8.719.￿ -1.043. -12.0% CUI¥RENT ASSETS Ta,4￿).07 3).78ts.￿ -7.￿. TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT UA. 91.rn1.13 ¥2.¢A6.88 -985.75 91.081.13 92,066A8 85.75 -1.1% Cwal and Reserve5 Fund balance blf at 31mar17 Investment gains from 01aw17 Retained surFlus frorn 01w17 Profit forthe Yedw 74,875.25 74.875.25 9,￿.07 4,643.￿j 12.548.03 13,J5.28 -5.827.22 -747.25 91,081.13 91066A8 o.(x) 4.841.47 -747.25 -5.079.97 104.3% -5.6% 479.8% Shoreholthr I￿)d$ 485.76 -1.1% Page 1 3:39 PM Coningsby Hospital Profit & Loss Prev Year Comparison April 2021 through March 2022 14106122 Accrual Basls Aw?1.Mar22 A￿￿-M￿21 £ Change % Change Income Alms house rent Oonatioit5 receNed cha￿1 receiOs museum retei other th)nations received 17.284.( 17.7K>.W) 476.(K) -2.7% 1,034.25 to.4&3.27 - 12.¢J32.Y2 .10 448.15 10,463.27 11.446.12 765% 1W.O% Total Donatian5 received 586.10 1.9529% Inve51Tt*nt inc