THE CATHOLIC LIIOCESE OF
ARUNDEL & BRIGHTON
ANNUAL REPORT
&ACCOUNTS
Incorporating Thirty Connected Trusts under
Charity Commission Uniting Directions
For the
ear ended 2025
www.abdioce5e.org.uk
Aryndel & Brighton DiiKesan Trust
Regislered Charity No. 252878
The St Philip Howard Centre,
4 Southgare Drive, Crawley,
West Sussex RH10 6RP
## ARUNDEL & BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST
Registered Charity No. 252878
## Annual Report & Accounts
Incorporating Thirty Connected Trusts under Charity Commission Uniting Directions
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
The St Philip Howard Centre, 4 Southgate Drive, Crawley West Sussex RH10 6RP
## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **CONTENTS**
||||
|---|---|---|
|**CONTENTS**||**PAGE**|
|Report of the Charity Trustee|3||
|Report of the Auditors|14||
|Statement of Financial Activities|17||
|Balance Sheet|19||
|Statement of Cash Flows|21||
|Accounting Policies & Notes to Accounts|22||
## **CONNECTED TRUSTS UNDER CHARITY COMMISSION UNITING DIRECTIONS**
**Trusts Linked to Diocesan Trust on Charity Commission website** Battle Ashburnham 252878 - 1 Diocese Buckley 252878 - 2 Slindon Leslie 252878 - 3 Littlehampton Norfolk 252878 - 4 Littlehampton Norfolk 1901 252878 - 5 Diocese Education 252878 - 6 Duncton Bedingfeld 252878 - 7 Herons Ghyll Hope 252878 - 8 Crawley Scawen Blunt 252878 - 9 Duncton Biddulph 252878 - 10 Arundel Norfolk 252878 - 11 Houghton Norfolk Cemetery 252878 - 12 Arundel Norfolk Cemetery 252878 - 13 Duncton Biddulph Education 252878 - 14 Angmering Norfolk 252878 - 15
**Other Trusts** Burwash Cemetery Caterham Stacpole Dorking Norfolk Effingham Pauling Godalming Hyland Hastings Fairlight Shadwell Cemetery Horsham Norfolk Keymer Munster Oxted Lang St Leonards Grant Sutton Park Salvin West Byfleet Marist School Worthing Gaisford **The following Trusts consolidated their accounts with the Diocese’s by resolution of their Trustees:** Diocese Elmer Haywards Heath St Joseph’s School
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**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **TRUSTEE**
The Arundel and Brighton Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation Limited
## **DIRECTORS OF THE TRUSTEE**
Most Reverend Richard Moth, Bishop of Arundel and Brighton – Chair (Ceased 14 February 2026) Mr P Bergin Sr J Bertelsen Mr P Burgess OBE, DL, KSG, KGCHS Reverend Father J How Professor J Lydon Mr K Maloney Reverend Canon J S Martin (Appointed as Diocesan Administrator and Chair 16 February 2026) Mr G Melly Reverend Canon K J O’Brien Mrs C Wordsworth
## **Secretary to Trustees**
Mrs S M Kilmartin
## **DIOCESAN OFFICE**
The St. Philip Howard Centre 4 Southgate Drive Crawley West Sussex RH10 6RP
## **ADVISERS**
## **AUDITOR**
Moore Kingston Smith LLP 6[th] Floor 9 Appold Street London EC2A 2AP
## **FINANCE COMMITTEE**
Reverend Father J How – Chair Mr P Bergin ACA Mr D Innes Mr K Maloney Mr G Melly Mrs A Morgan
## **SOLICITORS**
DMH Stallard Gainsborough House Pegler Way Crawley West Sussex RH11 7FZ
## **INVESTMENT MANAGERS**
Evelyn Partners Investment Management LLP 45 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7BG
## **KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL**
Chief Operating Officer Mrs S M Kilmartin Director, Education Service Mrs J Oldroyd Clergy Welfare Officer Ms Annie Condon Safeguarding Coordinator Mrs Angela McGrory Head of Communications Ms Laura Maydew Gale
## **BANKERS**
HSBC Bank plc 69 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5EY
## **INSURANCE MANAGERS**
Catholic Insurance Service Ltd Suite 5, Oxford House Oxford Road Thame OX9 2AH
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**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
The Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Trust is a charity established by a Trust deed dated 19th May 1967 as amended 14th November 1967 and 4th December 1998. The charity is registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales (No. 252878).
The Corporate Trustee presents the report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
The Diocese is a portion of the People of God, defined by its territories – in this case, the city of Brighton & Hove, the counties of East and West Sussex and Surrey outside the London Boroughs. The Diocese serves its people through its parishes and 62 schools, the Diocesan central agencies and in chaplaincy to hospitals, prisons and universities. The aim of the Diocese is, in accordance with the objectives of the charity, the advancement of the Roman Catholic religion and education.
The Diocese gathers principally through the worship of God and through prayer. This is the foundation of its work and, built on this foundation, the Diocese brings its people together for formation in the Roman Catholic religion. This work of formation is carried out in a number of ways: in parishes; at diocesan level through conferences and courses and Cathedral liturgies; through the provision of retreats; through the work of its schools. This formation enables the people of the Diocese to exercise the mission of the Church. This is carried out in myriad ways through social outreach, especially to the poor and disadvantaged – often at parish and local level; through provision of courses for those who may wish to explore faith; through support of the work of the Church in other parts of the world.
In order to achieve these aims, a number of strategies are put in place by the Trustees. These include support for parishes and 62 Catholic schools serving some 30,000 pupils. A large diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes is undertaken each year. Chaplaincy services are provided for universities, hospitals, hospices and prisons.
The achievement of these aims fulfils the legal purposes of the charity and impacts on society at a number of levels. The young are enabled to take a responsible place in society, enriching it through their way of life; care is provided to those who are in hospital, elderly or housebound; to those in prison and to those who live with disability. Family life is fostered and supported. Support is given to the bereaved through a network of trained volunteer befrienders. The outreach of the Diocese enables many others to avail themselves of the social support offered by the Church. The effect of the Diocese’s work beyond its boundaries has a deep impact on those living in the poorer parts of the world. A particular impact in recent years has been achieved in the support of refugees and through a project to encourage people in the care of the natural world and its resources.
The Bishop has oversight of the whole Diocese, achieved through visitations of parishes, schools and the various operations of the Diocese referred to above. He is aided in this through the work of a number of consultative bodies and by Deans who have pastoral oversight of groupings of parishes.
The schools of the Diocese are subject to both OFSTED and Catholic School Inspections and are very well supported by the Diocesan Education Service.
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**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **Service by Volunteers**
Much of the activity of the Diocesan Trust is carried out by volunteers. Typically, between 10% and 20% of any parish community will be actively engaged in such activity, either in parish initiatives or through the service offered by other Catholic organisations that are present across the Diocese and beyond. The Diocesan Trustees, parish clergy and diocesan central staff value this engagement, which is an intrinsic part of the life of the Church.
## **Grant making policy**
The Diocesan Trust is not primarily a grant making charity. Most grants are of modest size. Occasional larger grants are made by The Trustees, most often to Catholic schools to assist with capital projects.
## **Public benefit**
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in the Charities Act 2011 section 17 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission in determining the activities undertaken by the Charity. The public benefit provided by the Charity includes the provision of religious ceremonies (such as baptisms, weddings and funerals), maintaining religious burial grounds, celebrating public Masses, and providing and maintaining places of worship. There is also a benefit to the general public as churches can be accessed by people of all faiths and none, for personal spiritual contemplation. Catholic schools and parishes are communities which contribute to the moral and spiritual wellbeing of those who participate. From these centres educational, social and pastoral work is carried out as a practical expression of faith. All of these contribute to the wellbeing of civic society in our country.
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
The Charity experienced significant highlights in 2025, the Jubilee Year of Hope. The theme of “Pilgrims of Hope” inspired many activities throughout the Diocese, including a youth pilgrimage to Rome, and pilgrimages to Lourdes and Walsingham led by Bishop Richard, as well as a number of parish pilgrimages.
The year also marked the 60th anniversary of the Diocese, and people from across the diocesan faith family were invited to join Bishop Richard for the Festival of Hope, a day of prayer, formation, and mission at Ardingly showground.
During the year, the eleven deaneries of the Diocese continued to implement the Pastoral Plan, which creates vital new pathways for evangelisation, enabling diocesan clergy and lay people to collaborate more closely to meet the sacramental and formation needs of their faith communities through new parish structures centred on mission. New parishes were formed from the former deaneries of Brighton & Hove, Weybridge and Guildford, with others expressing their readiness to take this step in 2026. Supporting this development has been a priority for the Formation Team and those engaged with Clergy Ongoing Formation.
Our Multi Academy Trusts, Xavier (in Surrey) and Bosco (in Sussex) continued to develop in 2025. By the end of the year 40 of our 62 VA schools had joined our Trusts or received Academy Orders to do so.
During the year the Education Service worked to review policies on admissions to Catholic schools, and to engage with schools closely about this. A major project to support religious education in Catholic primary schools was completed and received canonical approval. The resulting “Day by Day” resources have been made available nationally through a collaboration with St Mary’s University, London.
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## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
The Schools Singing Programme, which had launched in September 2023, extended to cover 19 schools.
Parishes continued to share in issues affecting the wider community, engaging further with initiatives such as Live Simply and with an Ecumenical project to raise awareness of modern slavery. Many in our communities corresponded with MPs to voice concern about the proposed Assisted Dying Bill.
In July two priests were ordained for our Diocese in Arundel Cathedral. Three others were in formation at seminaries in London, Valladolid and Rome. The clergy welfare team was strengthened with the appointment of a second part-time registered nurse dedicated to engaging with the health and wellbeing of serving and retired priests.
The year saw the death of Pope Francis and the appointment of Pope Leo XIV. It ended with the news that our Bishop of over ten years would be installed as Archbishop of Westminster on 14 February 2026, creating a state of “Sede Vacante” in which a Diocesan Administrator would oversee the Diocese, and ensure a period of stability, and without innovation.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
Before taking into account the investment gains, there was a deficit of £1.37 million. Income increased in the year to £20.2 million (2024 £19.7 million). The increase in revenue of £0.5 million compared to 2024 was a result of additional gains on asset sales of £0.8 million and increase in investment income of £0.2 million. This was offset by reductions in Education income of £0.4 million and Other trading activities £0.1 million over the previous year. Expenditure increased in the year by £2.2 million to £21.6 million (2024 £19.4 million). Most of this increase arose from additional expenditure on property projects of £1.2 million. The net surplus for the year was £4.6 million (2024 £2.0 million). The increase was mainly due to two schools being up for sale at the end of the financial year and included on the balance sheet as investment properties at resale value (£3.6 million) There was a cash inflow of £2.1 million (2024: an outflow of £3.0 million). This was due to a reduction in debtors of £1.6 million and to the sale of fixed assets realising £3.4 million. This was an increase of £0.7 million compared to 2024 (when the sale of fixed assets released £2.7 million). Overall Diocesan funds increased to £103.8 million (2024 £99.2 million).
The income and expenditure of the Diocesan Trust is set out in three principal components: Parishes, Central Diocese and Schools. The basis of charitable expenditure is made by reference to the objectives of the charity: the advancement of the Roman Catholic religion and education. The thirty connected Trusts are incorporated into the results for the area of the Diocese to which they relate. Twenty-eight of the connected Trusts provide the land and church buildings for parishes who maintain the properties and two are linked to activities of the Central Diocese (care for retired priests).
The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (including update bulletin 27 (Charities SORP FRS102), and the financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102), the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Practice, and are in accordance with the accounting policies of the Diocese.
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**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
The majority of funds in the charity are raised and expended within each individual parish or centre of activity in support of its work. In addition to financing their own activities, Parishes also support the Diocese through the transfer of funds to cover both general and specific activities of the Diocese.
## **Parishes**
The net surplus in funds before transfers was £1.9 million (2024 £2.9 million). Income was £14.7 million compared with last year’s £14.3 million due to increases in legacies (£0.3 million), collections and donations (£0.2 million) and investment income (£0.2million) offset by a reduction in gains on asset disposals (£0.3million). Expenditure increased by £1.9 million to £13.8 million (2024 £11.9 million). £1.1 million of the increase in expenditure related to increased property costs. This is partly explained by the costs of the Mission Hub in Brighton. Investment gains in the year were £0.9 million (2024 £0.6 million). Parishes contributed £2.6 million to the central costs of the Diocese through transfers (2024 £2.6 million).
Most of the costs incurred in the parishes were attributed to the primary activity of the Diocese: advancement of the Roman Catholic faith.
Parish overall deficit at year end was £0.7 million (2024 surplus £0.4 million). Parish funds decreased to £70.0 million (2024 £70.7 million). Tangible fixed assets at cost less any depreciation were £41.1 million at year end, (2024 £41.4 million).
## **Central Diocese**
The Central Diocese comprises the office of the Bishop and Curia, including the Chancery and Tribunal, as well as the Formation Team, the Education Service and Safeguarding Team and the officers providing support with Finance, Health & Safety, Property, HR, Communications and IT. The Central office in Crawley is maintained to accommodate these staff and to provide facilities for meetings and training for a wide range of participants from schools and parishes. The net surplus for the year was £2.8 million compared to a deficit of £1.3 million in 2024. Income increased by £0.4 million to £3.5 million (2024 £3.1 million). This reflected an increase in gains on disposal of assets of £1.0 million, partially offset by reductions in legacies of £0.4 million and other trading activities of £0.2 million. Expenditure was slightly higher than last year at £5.8 million (2024 £5.5 million). Investments increased over the year and had a gain in valuation of £5.1 million (2024 gain £1.1 million). This gain includes a £3.6 million gain on two schools which have been put up for sale during the year and revalued during the year. The overall funds of the Central Diocese increased to £31.6 million (2024 £26.3 million) with £9.0 million in unrestricted funds excluding designated reserves. Tangible assets accounted for £13.9 million of Central Diocese funds, up from £13.5 million in the prior year.
## **Schools**
Sacred Heart Preparatory School in Wadhurst and three parish pre-schools operated within the Diocesan Trust and their results are reflected in these accounts. Pre-schools operate in the parishes of Chichester, Crawley and Haywards Heath. Total unrestricted funds for the year were positive £0.7 million (2024 £0.7 million). Tangible assets account for £1.5 million (2024 £1.5 million).
## **Risk Assessment and Risk Management**
During 2025 oversight of the major risks to which the Trust is exposed continued.
The Safeguarding team continues training and monitoring activities to address the risk of safeguarding failures in relation to children and vulnerable adults. Their work is overseen by the Safeguarding sub-committee.
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## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
Health and Safety risks are overseen by a Health and Safety sub-committee. A cloud-based Health and Safety system is in use, allowing monitoring and support of parish compliance in this area.
Particular attention is focused on the key strategic risks facing the Diocese. Challenges around clergy numbers and the average age of priests are significant, and clergy support and wellbeing is a developing focus. The Pastoral Plan envisages much greater collaboration across parish boundaries and recognises the importance of the full participation of lay people as we move forward with the number of priests serving our parishes reducing. The Pastoral Plan addresses these key pastoral risks, and outlines developments which are intended to strengthen the life of the Church and the Charity in the coming years. The Communication and Formation teams are key in addressing risks around stakeholder engagement and the impact of secular culture. The Education and Safeguarding teams report their management of risk quarterly and risks relating to property and finances are also closely monitored.
## **Investment Policy and Performance**
The investment objective is that the real value of the Trust’s assets should be maintained and enhanced over the long term to service the needs of the Trust. The overall risk is assessed to be medium, when viewed with the property and cash assets of the Trust.
The investment managers, Evelyn Partners Investment Management LLP, undertake the day-to-day management of funds on a discretionary basis in line with the Diocesan Statement of Investment Principles (SIP). The SIP outlines the features of the Trust’s two investment portfolios, the Multi Asset Investment Fund 1 (MAIF 1) and the Multi Asset Investment Fund 2 (MAIF 2). These differ in risk profile, with the first MAIF taking a medium/high approach to risk, balancing income and capital growth. MAIF 2 takes a low/medium approach to risk, with a focus on capital preservation. Target investment returns have been set at CPI+ 3.0% per annum for MAIF 1 and CPI+ 1.5% per annum for MAIF 2.
The ethical policy expressed in the SIP stipulates that investments will not be purchased in companies where conventional armaments, high-interest rate lending, pornography, gambling or the production of contraceptives make up more than 3% of turnover or where the production, distribution or retailing of tobacco makes up more than 10% of turnover. These restrictions ensure that the Diocese will not be invested in companies dedicated to these products and services but allows investment in sectors such as retail, where a low percentage of trading may relate to these items. No investments can be held in companies that manufacture controversial weapons, conduct fossil fuel extraction, perform abortion services or conduct research using foetal matter.
During the year an investment gain of £6.0 million arose, of this gain £2.4 million related to the investment portfolio managed by Evelyn Partners and £3.6 million related to investment properties (2024 £1.7 million).
## **Reserves Policy**
The reserves held after making allowance for any restricted funds, and the amount of designations, commitments (not provided for as a liability in the accounts) or the carrying amount of functional assets totalled £9.7 million. Although capable of utilisation across the relevant entities, these reserves were held as to £0.7 million by the Schools and £9.0 million by the Central Diocese.
The total reserves are £103.8 million, of which £13.5 million relate to the connected Trusts.
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## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
Restricted funds total £10.2 million (Diocese £1.7 million and parish and connected Trusts £8.5 million), particulars of which are set out in Notes 18 and 19 to the accounts. Permanent Endowment funds total £11.7 million (Diocese £0.9 million and connected Trusts £10.8 million), with particulars also set out in Notes 18 and 19 to the accounts.
Designated funds, wholly held by the Diocese, are £72.3 million and comprise the general unrestricted funds of the individual parishes, £50.6 million and other designated funds totalling £21.7 million, of which the most substantial is the fixed asset fund of £13.9 million, followed by the retired priests’ fund of £2.8 million.
In Canon Law the parishes have the right to acquire, retain, administer and alienate temporal goods. While the unrestricted funds of the individual parishes could therefore be regarded as restricted at the Diocesan level, this might not be consistent with the civil law status of the Diocese as a single entity _._ In order to respect the special nature of these funds, the Trustees have designated these funds as relating to the individual parishes from which they are derived.
The funds held by each of the parishes provide working funds, to meet future expenditure (particularly on property maintenance) that will not be met by future income and, in some cases, to accumulate funds for a building programme. The properties held by parishes comprise the parish church or churches and, in most cases, a hall and presbytery. The maintenance costs of these properties can be substantial and frequently unpredictable.
The unrestricted funds of the Trust are also utilised to provide land and buildings for both Central Diocese and the Schools. These funds are held in designated Fixed Asset funds of £13.9 million and £1.5 million respectively.
As stated in note 20, the Trustees consider that there is a constructive obligation to support priests in their retirement, but the provision required cannot be measured with sufficient reliability. The Trustees consider, however, that it is necessary to designate funds based on their best estimate of the possible future requirement. The designated fund for retired priests (£2.8 million at the year-end) is intended to provide (i) a fund to meet the cost of support of already retired priests and (ii) a fund that, with future transfers to the fund, will meet the cost of support in retirement for all currently serving priests, in both cases allowing for future inflation and interest. With further replenishment, the fund is projected to be expended over the lifespan of currently serving and retired priests.
The fund designated for Ecclesiastical Education is largely derived from donations from parishes for the express purpose of ecclesiastical education. As these are intra-Trust donations they cannot be treated as restricted but, in order to respect the special nature of these funds, the Trustees have designated them accordingly. The fund was £1.0 million at year-end and is adequate, at present levels of expenditure, to cover the relevant costs for approximately twelve years.
The total of funds that can be realised only by disposing of tangible fixed assets is £56.5 million. These amounts are reflected in restricted, endowment and designated funds (i) as part of the overall funds of parishes that are designated at Diocesan level and (ii) by a designated fund of the Central Diocese.
The parish pre-schools reserves are not wholly adequate to ensure their ongoing financial stability, and the three parishes that continue to run pre-schools underwrite their liabilities with parish reserves. The reserves at Sacred Heart School are able to support ongoing activities. Where substantial property projects require
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**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
bank overdrafts approval can be given for this by the Diocesan Finance Committee, with a repayment schedule agreed.
The net costs of the Central Diocese are met in part by levies on parishes. Reserves are required to meet shortfalls in the income needed to meet current levels of expenditure. They are also needed to provide funding, by way of loans and/or grants to parishes and schools, principally for building and other development projects.
The Trustees have not determined a fixed amount of general reserves that are needed but consider that the reserves need to be maintained at least at the present level in order to meet possible shortfalls in income. An increase in reserves is necessary in order to be able to respond to requests from schools and parishes for building and development funding, which is at present constrained by the level of reserves.
## **FUTURE PLANS**
In 2026 the Diocese is united in a period of prayerful waiting for a new Bishop to lead us in our mission. Canon Jonathan Martin was appointed Diocesan Administrator on 16 February 2026 and takes the place of the Bishop in constitutional matters for the Charity, acting as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Diocesan Trustee. The Diocesan Administrator exercises a function best described as that of a ‘caretaker’. The law establishes, by the well-known phrase ‘Sede vacante, nihil innovetur’, a clear general principle that, during the vacancy, nothing new is to be done. From this general principle, the law establishes a more particular norm: the Diocesan Administrator is to do nothing which could in any way prejudice the Diocese or the rights of the incoming Bishop. The role of Diocesan Administrator ceases when the new Bishop takes possession of the Diocese.
During 2026, much business continues as usual, with parishes undertaking normal pastoral activities supported by colleagues in the diocesan central teams.
With three of the “new-style” parishes envisaged in the diocesan Pastoral Plan already inaugurated in 2025, there remains a sense of momentum in this shared direction of travel. Activities to support the moderators of the three new parishes, and moderators-elect of the remaining deaneries are continuing to take place as planned during 2026. This includes overnight training and all-clergy formation days designed to support clergy in managing contemporary pastoral issues.
The global Synod of the Catholic Church continues in 2026 in the implementation stage, with activities in individual dioceses. A clergy formation meeting led by the School for Synodality has been arranged for the autumn, and a delegation will attend a national conference in November.
Diocesan pilgrimages to Lourdes and Walsingham will go ahead this year, as well as parish pilgrimages to Rome, Walsingham, Medjugorje, Santiago de Compostella and Lisieux. We are also looking forward to a St Carlo Acutis Exhibition in Weybridge, and a national Eucharistic Congress “Adoremus” in London in October.
The Charity’s support for the younger members of the community continues, with events and retreats for young adults offered and the continuation of the ‘Ascent’ programme. The Oscar Romero and Faith in Action awards are ensuring the Catholic Social Teaching is embedded in our schools and influencing the faith development of young people. A significant increase in engagement with these programmes has been observed, along with a clear advance in the numbers of confirmations and adult receptions into the Church.
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**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
The Catholic Education Trusts in Surrey and Sussex will continue to develop in 2026, working towards an aim of full academisation by 2030.
The news that the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has appointed Father Stephen Wang, until now the Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome, as the Sixth Bishop of Arundel and Brighton was received on 2 July 2026. Bishop-Elect Stephen will receive episcopal ordination and take canonical possession of the Diocese in October 2026. Until then, the See remains vacant. Bishop-Elect Stephen has written to the Diocese to express his joy at being appointed to the role of Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, and his desire to get to know the Diocese – the priests and deacons, those in consecrated life, all the lay faithful, and to visit our parishes and schools, and all the other communities that make up the Diocese. He writes “I pray that we can grow in holiness together, be of service to those around us, and help all people to know the love and mercy of Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel.”
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The Arundel & Brighton Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation Limited was appointed as the sole Corporate Trustee of the Diocese on 3 January 2025. Legal title to the assets of the charity is held by the Corporation which holds them in trust for the charity, and has trust corporation status. The Corporation was incorporated on 20[th] January 1969 and is registered under the Companies Acts (No. 0946255) limited by guarantee and not having share capital. The former Trustees of the Diocese, who resigned on 3 January 2025 are the Members and Directors of the Corporation.
## **Directors of the Arundel & Brighton Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation Limited**
The Bishop (or Canonical administrator) is empowered to appoint and remove all Directors. The Directors of the Arundel & Brighton Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation Limited comprise three clergy, one religious, and six laity of the faithful. Clergy members are appointed for their expertise in parochial, spiritual and pastoral matters. Lay Trustees are selected for specialisms in business, education and pastoral work. Further members would be chosen to match any perceived skill requirement. New members are supported to understand the constitution, governance and operation of the Charity, and are encouraged to visit the central departments as well as being familiar with the work of parishes. All decisions affecting the Charity are made by the board of Directors. The board has established various committees to advise it on aspects of Diocesan activities.
Directors receive training in charity governance and receive updates relating to the Charity Commission periodically.
Directors are supported by a number of subcommittees. Membership and leadership of these committees is directed by the Bishop.
## **Finance Committee**
The committee comprises three Directors and two others who have expertise in financial, property and management matters. The committee meets at a minimum quarterly during the year. The role of the committee is advisory to the Trustees on financial governance and asset management. The committee also acts as the Charity’s audit committee.
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## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **Education Committee**
The Education Committee provides a vehicle for collective planning, advice and decision-making in conjunction with the Diocesan Education Service and in relation to diocesan schools and academies.
The membership reflects a broad range of interests, including those of Headteachers in academies, maintained and independent schools, Governors and Clergy, alongside the Diocesan Bishop, a Trustee and Diocesan staff within and beyond the Education Service. Members advise on and monitor the setting and operation of a range of policies and guidelines for diocesan schools and academies. (Examples may include areas such as admissions; religious education and worship; Section 48 inspection framework; criteria for diocesan building priorities, etc).
Where appropriate, the committee will make strategic decisions on the basis of advice from diocesan officers and the outcomes of consultation. Occasionally, recommendations and/or proposed decisions taken by the Education Committee will be subject to ratification by the Bishop and Trustees, for example if they relate to policies of the Bishops’ Conference or are regulated in Canon Law.
The committee advises the Directors on education policy issues and meets three times a year.
## **Academies Partnership Committee**
The Academies Partnership Committee meets to support the two Catholic Education Trusts for our academies. It provides a vehicle for collective advice and recommendation in relation to the academies programme.
The Committee membership reflects an appropriate skill set and professional experience. It includes the Bishop, Headteachers in academies, maintained and/or independent schools, Foundation Governors and two Diocesan Trustees. It is attended and supported by diocesan staff within and beyond the Education Service.
Committee Members participate by virtue of their appointment, bringing to the role their own professional and lay experience and expertise. They are not representatives of a particular group.
When appropriate, Committee Members determine, advise on and/or monitor the setting and operation of a range of policies and guidelines relating to the diocesan academies programme. The Committee scrutinises applications from schools wishing to convert to academy status. Their recommendations to the Bishop are based on due diligence presented by the Catholic Education Trusts, the outcome of consultations undertaken, discussion with the CEO and Chair of the Trust Board and advice from diocesan officers. Recommendations and/or proposed decisions taken by the Committee will be subject to ratification by the Bishop and Trustees where they relate to the conversion of a school to academy status.
Some proposed decisions may require the express consent of the Bishop, for example if they relate to the policies of the Bishops’ Conference or are regulated in Canon Law.
The committee meets a minimum of three times a year, but more often if required.
## **Safeguarding Subcommittee**
The purpose of this Subcommittee is to support, assist and advise the Diocesan Directors in discharging their duties in safeguarding, in accordance with the Corporate Trustee’s legal and regulatory duties, Trust Deed, Canon Law of the Catholic Church, Charity Commission guidance, and operating within the standards, policies
Page | 11
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
and procedures of the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency. The Subcommittee will make a regular report to be shared at each meeting of Trustees. In turn the Trustees will feed back comments (if appropriate), and, if required, will direct the Subcommittee to consider safeguarding matters where Trustees require additional information, explanations or guidance.
The Subcommittee is chaired by an independent safeguarding professional, with at least four further members, and two or more Directors as members. After consulting with the Bishop of Arundel & Brighton the Chair will ensure that representatives from other agencies such as Police, Probation, Local Authority, Healthcare or others are invited as members to attend meetings. The Diocesan Clergy Safeguarding Lead and Judicial Vicar are in attendance as members of the subcommittee.
## **Council of Priests and College of Consultors**
The Council of Priests assists the Bishop, in accordance with the prescriptions of Canon Law, as a consultative body relating to the governance of the Diocese and the pastoral welfare of both clergy and lay faithful.
The College of Consultors, whose members are drawn from the Council of Priests, has responsibilities enunciated in the Code of Law and has a particular role when the Diocese is without a Bishop.
## **Episcopal Council**
The Vicar General and the three Episcopal Vicars form this Council, as a group of close advisors to the Bishop in the governance and pastoral provision of the Diocese. It meets monthly (although is suspended during the Sede Vacante).
## **Pastoral Commissions**
There are several committees advising the Corporate Trustee on the wide range of pastoral activities undertaken by the Trust. These committees meet between one and four times a year.
## **Parishes**
The day-to-day administration of our parishes is carried out by parish clergy who are advised by their parish finance committees. Significant matters are authorised by the Corporate Trustee, for example major property or capital expenditure.
The voluntary aided (maintained) schools and Academies of the Diocese are exempt charities that co-operate with the Trust in providing education in partnership with the UK Government.
## **Remuneration Policy**
Annual pay changes are approved by the Directors, and job roles and remuneration are reviewed periodically. Benchmarking against market rates is employed when new roles are created. Remuneration for key management roles is benchmarked against market rates when appointments are made and considered annually.
## **Fundraising approach**
The Diocese does not engage in fundraising telephone or email campaigns. Funds are raised through collections at services and events, or through donations received via post, bank transfer or online giving. The Diocese is regulated by the Fundraising Regulator. No complaints about fundraising were received this year or during the prior year.
Page | 12
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **REPORT OF THE CHARITY TRUSTEE**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **Subsidiary Companies**
The Diocese has one wholly owned dependent company, Diocese of Arundel & Brighton (Building Services) Ltd. The company has not traded actively for a number of years and for the year ended 31 December 2025, the turnover of the company was £Nil (2024: £Nil) and there was a loss of £Nil, (2024: £Nil).
## **STATEMENT OF THE CORPORATE TRUSTEE’S RESPONSIBILITIES**
The Corporate Trustee is responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the net movement in funds of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume the charity will continue.
The Corporate Trustee is responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the Trust deed dated 19th May 1967. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the Corporate Trustee on 16 July 2026 and signed as authorised on its behalf by:
Canon Jonathan Martin Diocesan Administrator Chair of the Board of Directors
Page | 13
## **INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Trust for the year ended 31 December 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard Applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the charity’s affairs as at 31 December 2025, and of its incoming resources and application of resources, for the year then ended;
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
## **Basis for opinion**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
## **Conclusions relating to going concern**
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
## **Other information**
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Charities Act 2011 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- the information given in the Trustees’ Annual Report is inconsistent in any material respect with the financial statements; or
- the charity has not kept adequate accounting records; or
- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- we have not received all the information and explanations we required for our audit.
Page | 14
## **Responsibilities of trustees**
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 13, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
## **Auditor’s Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements**
We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with regulations made under section 154 of that Act.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK) we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
- Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
- Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the charity’s internal control.
- Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the trustees.
- Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the charity to cease to continue as a going concern.
- Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
Page | 15
## **Explanation as to what extent the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud**
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.
The objectives of our audit in respect of fraud, are; to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud; to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud, through designing and implementing appropriate responses to those assessed risks; and to respond appropriately to instances of fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit. However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both management and those charged with governance of the charity.
Our approach was as follows:
- We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the charity and considered that the most significant are the Charities Act 2011, the Charity SORP, and UK financial reporting standards as issued by the Financial Reporting Council.
- We obtained an understanding of how the charity complies with these requirements by discussions with management and those charged with governance.
- We assessed the risk of material misstatement of the financial statements, including the risk of material misstatement due to fraud and how it might occur, by holding discussions with management and those charged with governance.
- We inquired of management and those charged with governance as to any known instances of non-compliance or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations.
- Based on this understanding, we designed specific appropriate audit procedures to identify instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations. This included making enquiries of management and those charged with governance and obtaining additional corroborative evidence as required.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above. We are less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations that are not closely related to events and transactions reflected in the financial statements. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
## **Use of our report**
This report is made solely to the charity's trustees, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 8 of the Charities Act 2011. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to any party other than the charity and charity's trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinion we have formed.
22 July 2026 6[th] Floor 9 Appold Street London EC2A 2AP
Statutory auditor
Moore Kingston Smith LLP is eligible to act as auditor in terms of Section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.
Page | 16
|**Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Trust**
Registered Charity No: 252878
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**|**2024**
**Total**
**£'000**
9,754
1,278
374
336
2,154
3,169
980
1,662|19,707|-
17,490
1,909|19,399|1,729|2,037|-
-|-|2,037
97,151|99,188|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Total**
**£'000**
9,880
1,118
470
353
1,769
3,062
1,167
2,414|20,233|540
19,056
2,004|21,600|5,985|4,618|-
-|-|4,618
99,188|103,806|
||**Total**
**£'000**
-
-
296
-
1,657
21
5
-|1,979|-
-
2,004|2,004|-|(25)|-
-|-|(25)
2,189|2,164|
||**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**£'000**
**£'000**
-
-
-
-
296
-
-
-
1,657
-
21
-
5
-
-
-
**Schools**|1,979
-|-
-
-
-
2,004
-|2,004
-|-|(25)
-|-
-
-
-|-
-|(25)
-
2,189
-|2,164
-|
||**Total**
**£'000**
232
304
100
153
68
665
469
1,527|3,518|520
5,293
-|5,813|5,058|2,763|2,623
-|2,623|5,386
26,255|31,641|
||**Central Diocese**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
128
104
-
302
2
-
24
76
-
135
18
-
68
-
-
650
15
-
456
-
13
1,527
-
-|3,290
215
13|520
-
-
4,980
313
-
-
-|5,500
313
-|4,965
63
30|2,755
(35)
43|2,623
-
-
88
(88)
-|2,711
(88)
-|5,466
(123)
43
23,657
1,776
822|29,123
1,653
865|
||**Total**
**£'000**
9,648
814
74
200
44
2,376
693
887|14,736|20
13,763
-|13,783|927|1,880|(2,623)
-|(2,623)|(743)
70,744|70,001|
||**Parishes**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
8,371
1,277
-
782
32
-
47
27
-
185
15
-
44
-
-
2,316
60
-
505
188
-
887
-
-|13,137
1,599
-|20
-
-
12,617
1,112
34
-
-
-|12,637
1,112
34|533
64
330|1,033
551
296|(2,623)
18
(25)
7|(2,605)
(25)
7|(1,572)
526
303
52,220
8,015
10,509|50,648
8,541
10,812|
Page | 17
|**Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Trust**
Registered Charity No: 252878
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**|**2023**
**Total**
**£'000**
9,608
343
444
230
1,694
2,936
1,152
715|17,122|333
16,083
1,723|18,139|2,570|1,553|-
-|-|1,553
95,598|97,151|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Total**
**£'000**
9,754
1,278
374
336
2,154
3,169
980
1,662|19,707|-
17,490
1,909|19,399|1,729|2,037|-
-|-|2,037
97,151|99,188|
||**Total**
**£'000**
-
-
252
-
2,069
15
-
-|2,336|-
-
1,909|1,909|-|427|-
-|-|427
1,762|2,189|
||**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**£'000**
**£'000**
-
-
-
-
252
-
-
-
2,069
-
15
-
-
-
-
-
**Schools**|2,336
-|-
-
-
-
1,857
52|1,857
52|-|479
(52)|-
-
-
-|-
-|479
(52)
1,710
52|2,189
-|
||**Total**
**£'000**
267
737
85
129
46
849
453
510|3,076|-
5,525
-|5,525|1,138|(1,311)|2,553
-|2,553|1,242
25,013|26,255|
||**Central Diocese**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
267
-
-
737
-
-
85
-
-
124
5
-
46
-
-
821
28
-
453
-
-
510
-
-|3,043
33
-|-
-
-
5,365
160
-
-
-
-|5,365
160
-|1,065
50
23|(1,257)
(77)
23|2,553
-
-
-
-
-|2,553
-
-|1,296
(77)
23
22,361
1,853
799|23,657
1,776
822|
||**Total**
**£'000**
9,487
541
37
207
39
2,305
527
1,152|14,295|-
11,965
-|11,965|591|2,921|(2,553)|(2,553)|368
70,376|70,744|
||**Parishes**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
8,370
1,117
-
506
35
-
36
1
-
207
-
-
39
-
-
2,248
57
-
329
189
9
1,152
-
-|12,887
1,399
9|-
-
-
11,067
880
18
-
-
-|11,067
880
18|294
34
263|2,114
553
254|(2,553)
-
-
244
(101)
(143)|(2,309)
(101)
(143)|(195)
452
111
52,415
7,563
10,398|52,220
8,015
10,509|
||**Note**
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**
**Donations and legacies**
Collections and donations
2
Legacies
Grants
3
**Charitable Activities**
Advancement of RC Faith
4
Education
5
**Other trading activities**
6
**Investment income**
7
**Net gain on disposal of assets**
**TOTAL**
**EXPENDITURE ON**
**Raising funds**
8
**Charitable activities**
Advancement of Roman Catholic Faith
8
Education
8
**TOTAL**
**Net gains/(losses) on investments**
**NET INCOME**
**TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS**
Transfers from parishes
Inter fund transfers
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Funds brought forward
**FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**||||||||||
Page | 18
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025**
|**Note**
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
13
Investments
14
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors and prepayments
15
Cash at bank and on deposit
**LESS LIABILITIES**
Creditors - amounts falling due
within one year
16
**PARISH LOAN ACCOUNTS**
Due to Parishes
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**|**Parishes**
**Central**
**Diocese**
**Schools**
**Total**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
41,152
13,882
1,503
**56,537**
15,713
26,508
-
**42,221**
56,865
40,390
1,503
**98,758**
482
683
17
**1,182**
6,141
720
851
**7,712**
6,623
1,403
868
**8,894**
(943)
(2,696)
(207)
**(3,846)**
7,456
(7,456)
-
**-**
13,136
(8,749)
661
**5,048**|2024
£'000
56,429
36,211|
|---|---|---|
|||92,640|
|||2,822
5,646|
|||8,468|
|||(1,920)
-|
|||6,548|
|**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS OF THE CHARITY**
Unrestricted funds
General funds
17/18
Designated funds
17/18
17/18
Restricted funds
17/18
Permanent endowment
17/18
**TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS**|70,001
31,641
2,164
**103,806**
8,959
661
**9,620**
50,648
20,164
1,503
**72,315**
**50,648**
**29,123**
**2,164**
**81,935**
8,541
1,653
-
**10,194**
10,812
865
-
**11,677**
70,001
31,641
2,164
**103,806**||
|||99,188|
|||3,786
74,280|
|||78,066
9,791
11,331|
|||99,188|
||||
Approved by the Trustees on 16 July 2026 and signed as authorised on their behalf by:
Canon Jonathan Martin Diocesan Administrator
Page | 19
## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024**
Page | 20
## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
|**Cash flows from operating activities:**
**Net cash used in operating activities (see below)**
**Cash flows from investing activities**
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Purchase of property, plant and equipment|**2025**
£'000||**2024**
£'000|
|---|---|---|---|
||(1,382)||(4,493)|
||1,167
(1,137)||980
(1,240)|
|Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment|3,443||2,742|
|Purchase of investments
Proceeds from sale of investments
**Net cash provided by investing activities**
**Net cash provided by financing activities**
Change in cash & cash equivalents in reporting period:
Cash & cash equivalents at beginning of reporting period:
**Cash & cash equivalents at end of reporting period:**
**Reconciliation of net incoming resources to cash flow**
**from operating activities**
Net income for reporting period (as in SOFA)
**Adjustments for:**
Depreciation
Surplus retained in Investment Portfolio
Revaluation gain on Investment Properties
Dividends
Net Gains on Disposal of Fixed Assets
Decrease/(Increase) in Debtors
Increase/(Decrease) in Creditors
**Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities**|(2,423)
2,398||(23,410)
22,426|
||3,448||1,498|
|||||
||-||-|
||2,066
5,646||(2,995)
8,641|
||7,712||5,646|
||4,618
-
(2,435)
(3,550)
(1,167)
(2,414)
1,640
1,926||2,037
-
(1,729)
-
(980)
(1,662)
(1,688)
(471)|
||(1,382)||(4,493)|
|||||
Page | 21
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **1.1 Basis of Accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (including update bulletin 27 (Charities SORP FRS 102), and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011 and UK generally Accepted Practice
Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Trust meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s). The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the financial currency of the entity. Monetary amounts are rounded to the nearest thousand pounds
## **1.2 Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis**
Having considered future budgets and cash flows for a period of at least one year from the date of approval of the financial statements, the Trustees confirm that they have no material uncertainties about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern for the foreseeable future. The charity therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.
## **1.3 Subsidiary company**
All the turnover of the Diocese’s wholly owned dependent company, the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton (Building Services) Limited, represents sales of building construction to the Diocese. The subsidiary did not trade during the year and has no material net assets or liabilities. There is no significant difference between the Statement of Financial Activities and the Balance Sheet of the charity by itself and those of the group comprising the charity and its subsidiary company. The charity and its subsidiary are not consolidated. The charity had another subsidiary, Arundel and Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage Limited. In 2021, the assets and liabilities were transferred to the charity and it is in the process of being dissolved.
## **1.4 Income**
All income is included in the SOFA once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably. The following specific policies apply to categories of income:
Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period. Collections and fundraising income is recognised upon receipt.
Page | 22
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
For legacies, entitlement is considered to be the earlier of when either:
notification has been received from the executor that probate has been granted and the Charity is expected to receive a distribution; or
a distribution has been received from the estate.
Receipt of a legacy is only considered probable when the executors have indicated that there are sufficient assets in the estate to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the Charity, but the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material. Life interests are not recognised until the cessation of the life interest; they are then valued as for residuary legacies.
Income from charitable activities is recognised as earned as the related services are provided. Investment income is credited to income when it is receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due.
Details of trading activities that the Diocese undertakes in the furtherance of its charitable objectives are set out in the notes. Fees receivable and sales of goods are accounted for in the period in which the relevant services or goods are provided or supplied.
## **1.5 Expenditure**
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred, inclusive of VAT, which cannot be recovered.
Charitable activities are advancement of the Roman Catholic Faith and education.
Grants payable are charged in the year when the offer is conveyed to the recipient except in those cases where the offer is conditional on the recipient satisfying performance or other discretionary requirements to the satisfaction of the Board, such grants being recognised as expenditure when the conditions attaching are fulfilled. Grants offered subject to such conditions which have not been met at the year-end are noted as a commitment, but not accrued as expenditure.
Support costs are certain Finance Office costs which cannot be directly apportioned and are allocated on the basis of Trustees’ estimates of time spent on relevant functions. Irrecoverable VAT is included with the category of expense to which it relates.
Governance activities comprise organisational administration and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements. Costs include direct costs of external audit, legal fees and other professional advice.
Page | 23
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **1.6 Tangible Fixed Assets**
Buildings held for use by the charity are included in the financial statements at original cost, where known, or at an estimate of original cost where actual figures are unavailable (see note 13). All new functional buildings and major improvements are capitalised where the cost of construction is greater than £100,000. Certain school properties owned by the Diocese are occupied and run by independent charities in the form of voluntary aided (maintained) schools. There are significant legal restrictions on the disposal of these properties under education legislation. The Trustees consider their ownership to be in the nature of custodianship of the assets and these are therefore not capitalised in the financial statements. The estimated original costs of furniture, equipment and motor vehicles are included in the financial statements.
An impairment review of buildings is performed annually to confirm whether a charge for impairment should be recognised in the statement of Financial Activities. Parish and Central freehold buildings are maintained to a high standard and depreciation is not provided for, as in the trustees opinion, the residual value is equal to the carrying value in the Financial Statements
Depreciation is provided on Schools contents at a rate of 25% per annum on a reducing balance method.
Realised gains/(losses) on disposal of fixed assets for charity use are included in the Statement of Financial Activities as income/expenditure. Unrealised gains and losses on fixed assets for charity use are included in the Statement of Financial Activities under gains and losses on revaluations and investment asset disposals.
## **1.7 Investments**
Investments are a form of basic financial instrument. They are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently valued at their fair value at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market price. The Statement of Financial Activities includes the net gains and losses arising on revaluation and disposals throughout the year.
## **1.8 Investment Property Accounting Policy**
Investment property is held at fair value at each reporting date.
## **1.9 Voluntary Aided (Maintained) Schools Building Programme**
The Diocese administers some projects on behalf of the Governors of voluntary aided schools which are exempt charities. The financial responsibility remains with the Governors. The income and expenditure is conduit funding and as such is excluded from the Financial Statements of the Trust. Any contributions from the Diocese or its parishes are recorded as grants to the Governors.
## **1.10 Fund Accounting**
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
For the purpose of the civil administration of the charity, parishes are not distinct legal entities but branches forming part of the administrative machinery of the main Diocesan charity, albeit that they have a degree of
Page | 24
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
independence (see page 8). Parish funds and assets, unless held under distinct and express special Trusts evidenced in law, will be part of the Diocesan charity and will be the responsibility of the Diocesan Trustees. The Trustees may under normal legal principles delegate their management to parish priests with limited authority. Such parish funds are designated funds within the unrestricted funds.
In Canon Law the parish is firmly set within the context of the Diocese C515(1) and the parish priest exercises his ministry under the authority of the Bishop C519. A parish erected in accordance with the law possesses public juridical personality by the law itself C515(3). In canon law the parish has the right to acquire, retain, administer and alienate temporal goods C1255 which as ecclesiastical goods are subject to the norms of Canon Law C1257(1).
Restricted funds are funds that are used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or that have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
The capital of permanent endowment funds (see Notes 18 and 19) must be maintained intact with any income arising being available for restricted or general charitable purposes of the Diocese, according to the terms of the original gift.
Income from commercial activities is included in the period that the charity is entitled to receipt.
## **1.11 Collections for Third Parties**
Where the charity does not have any discretion in collection and distribution of donations, and has no entitlement to the donation, then these amounts are conduit funding. Amounts and balances relating to conduit funding are not included in the accounts and balances of the charity.
## **1.12 Recognised gains or losses**
All recognised gains or losses for the year are derived from continuing activities and are included in the Statement of Financial Activities.
## **1.13 Debtors**
Debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **1.14 Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and in hand includes bank accounts, cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
## **1.15 Creditors and provisions**
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
Page | 25
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **1.16 Estimation uncertainty**
In the view of the Trustees in applying the accounting policies adopted, no judgements were required that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements nor do any estimates or assumptions made carry a significant risk of material adjustment in the next financial year.
## **1.17 Financial instruments**
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.
## **2. COLLECTIONS AND DONATIONS**
|Parish offertory collections
Donations
Gift Aid tax recovered on collections and donations|||**2025**
**2024**
**£'000**
**£'000**
7,222
7,073
1,241
1,142
1,417
1,539
9,880
9,754
**2025**
**2024**
**£'000**
**£'000**
56
56
74
37
340
281
470
374|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
|||||
|**3. GRANTS**||||
|||||
|Friends of Arundel Cathedral||||
|Parishes various
Other||||
|||||
|||||
|**4. ADVANCEMENT OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC FAITH (INCOME)**||||
|Publications and repository sales
Other including courses and events|||**2025**
**2024**
**£'000**
**£'000**
174
269
179
67
353
336|
Page | 26
## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **5. EDUCATION (INCOME)**
|Independent preparatory school (Sacred Heart Wadhurst)
Parish preschools||**2025**
**2024**
**£'000**
**£'000**
1,231
1,665
538
489
1,769
2,154
**2025**
**2024**
**£'000**
**£'000**
466
477
2,596
2,692
3,062
3,169|
|---|---|---|
||||
|**6. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES**|||
|Fund raising events
Lettings and sundry income|||
||||
|**7. INVESTMENT INCOME**|||
|Listed investments
Bank interest||**2025**
**2024**
**£'000**
**£'000**
983
799
184
181
1,167
980|
## **8. EXPENDITURE 2025**
|Fund raising
Advancement of Roman Catholic Faith
Education|**Direct**
**personnel**
**Direct other**
**expenditure**
**Direct grants**
**Allocated**
**support**
**2025 Total**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
20
507
-
13
540
7,088
10,838
614
516
19,056
1,765
105
18
116
2,004|
|---|---|
||8,873
11,450
632
645
21,600|
|||
Page | 27
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **EXPENDITURE 2024**
|Fund raising
Advancement of Roman Catholic Faith
Education|**Direct**
**personnel**
**Direct other**
**expenditure**
**Direct grants**
**Allocated**
**support**
**2024 Total**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
22
399
-
14
435
6,492
9,432
560
571
17,055
1,621
133
26
129
1,909|
|---|---|
||8,135
9,963
586
714
19,399|
## **9. CHARITABLE GRANTS**
|**9. CHARITABLE GRANTS**|**9. CHARITABLE GRANTS**||
|---|---|---|
|Schools
Retired priests and housekeepers
UK Poor and sick
Overseas missions
Youth and pilgrimages
Ecumenical
Worth Abbey
Bishop's conference
Woman Refugee
Other||**2025**
**2024**
**£'000**
**£'000**
18
26
46
15
153
274
49
62
22
93
37
18
200
-
-
29
-
50
107
19
632
586|
|**10. SUPPORT COSTS 2025**|||
|Governance
Finance Office
**TOTAL**|**Fund raising Advancement of**
**RC Faith**
**Education**
**Total**
**2024**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
13
142
19
174
192
-
374
97
471
522
**13**
**516**
**116**
**645**
**714**||
||||
Page | 28
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **SUPPORT COSTS 2024**
|Governance
Finance Office
**TOTAL**|**Fund raising Advancement of**
**RC Faith**
**Education**
**Total**
**2023**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
14
157
21
192
187
-
414
108
522
509
**14**
**571**
**129**
**714**
**696**|
|---|---|
The Finance Office provides advice and help to parishes, departments within Central Diocese and Schools. Services include accounting, banking, payroll, investment management, property, legal compliance, HR support and Health and Safety support. Costs have been allocated to activities based on the Trustees' estimate of staff time spent on these activities. Governance costs included fees paid to auditors as follows: audit fees: £55,000 (2024 £54,000), fees for other services £2,000 (2024 £Nil).
## **11. STAFF INFORMATION 11.1 Staff costs**
|**11. STAFF INFORMATION**
**11.1 Staff costs**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Employee Salaries
Social Security
Pension Costs
Total Employee Costs
Clergy & Religious Costs
Travel & Office Costs
**TOTAL**|**Parish**
**Central**
**Schools**
**Diocese**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**|**TOTAL**
**£'000**||**2024**
**£'000**|
||1,848
1,732
1,289
147
192
176
127
174
117|4,869
515
418||4,584
317
454|
||2,122
2,098
1,582|5,802||5,355|
||1,421
264
-
685
518
183|1,685
1,386||1,524
1,256|
||4,228
2,880
1,765|8,873||8,135|
Key management personnel received salary and pension contributions of £426k (2024 £407k). Included in the staff costs above were redundancy costs of £33k (2024 £11k).
## **11.2 Pension payments**
The Diocese operates two pension schemes, a closed scheme where it contributes 15% of gross salary to a group personal pension scheme for staff members in the parishes and Central Diocese and the auto-enrolment scheme whereby the employer contributes 5% and the employee contributes 4%. The scheme is a defined contributions scheme for which the Diocese is neither liable to finance any funding shortfall nor entitled to benefit from any over-funding. There were no contributions outstanding at the year-end (2024 £0k).
Page | 29
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
The Diocese participates in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (“the TPS”) for its teaching staff. The pension charge for the year includes contributions payable to the TPS of £85k (2024 £80k) and there were no contributions outstanding at the year-end (2024 £0k).
The TPS is an unfunded multi-employer defined benefits pension scheme governed by The Teachers’ Pensions Regulations 2010 (as amended) and The Teachers’ Pension Scheme Regulations 2014 (as amended). Members contribute on a “pay as you go” basis with contributions from members and the employer being credited to the Exchequer. Retirement and other pension benefits are paid by public funds provided by Parliament.
The employer contribution rate is set by the Secretary of State following scheme valuations undertaken by the Government Actuary’s Department. The Government Actuary, using normal actuarial principles, conducts a formal actuarial review of the TPS in accordance with the Public Services Pensions (Valuations and Employer Costs cap) Directions 2023 published by HM Treasury every 4 years. The valuation report was published by the Department of Education on 26 October 2023. As a result of the valuation , new employer contribution rates have been set at 28.6% of pensionable pay from 1 April 2024 until 3 March 2027. There were no contributions outstanding at the year end (2024 £0k).
Contributions to all schemes are shown in Note 11.1 above
## **11.3 Staff numbers**
|Clergy & Religious
Employees - average weekly numbers|Parish
Central
Schools
Diocese|**TOTAL**||2024|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||98
1
-
180
61
64|99
305||97
292|
||278
62
64|404||389|
||||||
## **11.4 Employee emoluments**
|Between £60,001 and £70,000
Between £70,001 and £80,000
Between £90,001 and £100,000
Between £100,001 and £110,000
Between £110,001 and £120,000
Between £120,001 and £130,000|Parish
Central
Schools
**TOTAL**
Diocese
-
-
1
1
1
1
1
1
-
-
-
-|Parish
Central
Schools
**TOTAL**
Diocese
-
-
1
1
1
1
1
1
-
-
-
-||
|---|---|---|---|
||Parish
Central
Schools
Diocese|**TOTAL**|2024|
||-
1
1
1
-
-|-
1
1
1
-
-|1
-
1
-
1
1|
Page | 30
## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **12. BOARD OF DIRECTORS INFORMATION**
The Corporate Trustee, The Arundel and Brighton Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation Limited, (Company number 00946255) is managed by a Board of Directors comprising three clergy, one religious and six laity. The priests receive income for their office together with living accommodation, living expenses and reimbursement of costs incurred on the same basis as other Diocesan priests. No Director receives any remuneration or benefits from his/her role as Director other than cover under the indemnity insurance purchased by the charity. No Director fees or expenses were paid in 2025 (2024 £Nil).
The Directors are:
Patrick Bergin Jane Bertelsen Patrick Burgess Fr Jonathan How John Lydon Kieran Maloney Canon Jonathan Martin Greg Melly Canon Kieron O’Brien Clare Wordsworth
Page | 31
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **13. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
|COST OR VALUATION
At 1 January 2025
Additions
Disposals
At 31 December 2025
DEPRECIATION
At 1 January 2025
Charge for year
Disposals
At 31 December 2025
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 December 2025
At 1 January 2025|Freehold
Contents
£'000
£'000|Total
£'000|
|---|---|---|
||73,473
233
1,137
-
(1,238)
-|73,706
1,137
(1,238)|
||73,372
233|73,605|
||17,044
233
-
-
(209)
-|17,277
-
(209)|
||16,835
233|17,068|
||||
||56,537
-|56,537|
||||
||56,429
-|56,429|
The Diocese has 36 maintained (voluntary aided) schools constituted as separate charities. Two MultiAcademy Trusts have been established as separate companies. A total of 26 Academies have joined the Trusts. The school properties (land and buildings) are vested in the Diocesan Trustees. Their value is estimated at £800 million. Trustees cannot take a unilateral decision to dispose of these properties. Disposal can only occur if the school governors and the Secretary of State for Education decide that all or part of a school site is no longer required for education. In most circumstances, where a disposal occurs, the Secretary of State or the local authority may be entitled to recoup grant. Although no rights of ownership vest in the school governing body, most other rights and obligations, such as for the maintenance and repair of the school and its facilities, are passed to the governors. The Trustees consider that, for the purposes of these Financial Statements, the nature of their ownership is that of a custodianship and therefore these properties have not been capitalised.
Page | 32
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
The Diocese leases land and buildings at two of these schools from Religious Orders. A further school is a joint Anglican/Roman Catholic foundation. The Diocesan Directory lists all 62 maintained schools and Academies owned, leased or jointly administered by the Diocese. Apart from a small proportion used for management and administration, all fixed assets are used in direct furtherance of the charity's objects. Assets of Trusts are consolidated with the Diocesan accounts under Charity Commission uniting directions. St Joseph’s Specialist School and College in Cranleigh is held by a separate charity.
## **14. INVESTMENTS**
|Listed Investments
Cash Deposits
Investment properties
**TOTAL INVESTMENTS**||**2025**
2024
**£'000**
£'000
37,996
36,003
675
208
3,550
-
42,221
36,211|
|---|---|---|
||||
|**SUMMARY OF INVESTMENTS**|||
|OPENING VALUATION 1 Jan 2025||**2025**
2024
**£'000**
£'000
36,211
33,498|
|Acquisitions at Cost||2,423
23,410|
|Proceeds of Sales less fund management fees
Gains during the year
**CLOSING VALUATION 31 Dec 2025**||(2,398)
(22,426)
5,985
1,729|
|||**42,221**
**36,211**|
Investment properties include two of the Diocesan schools which were put up for sale during the financial year. They have been included in investment properties at fair value.
Page | 33
## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **15. DEBTORS**
|**15. DEBTORS**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Advances to schools (£85k due after one year)
Inter Diocese Balances
Accrued Income
Other Debtors and Prepayments
Government capital funding for allocation to schools|**2025**
**£'000**
172
559
-
435
16||2024
£'000
1,059
147
303
492
821|
||1,182||2,822|
## **16. CREDITORS – AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
|Parish Collections, Supplies and Accruals
Fees Paid in Advance
Inter Diocese Balances
Other Creditors
Government capital funding for allocation to schools|**2025**
**£'000**
1,062
207
559
466
1,552||2024
£'000
771
71
147
437
494|
|---|---|---|---|
||3,846||1,920|
Page | 34
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **17. FUNDS NET ASSET ANALYSIS 2025**
|**UNRESTRICTED**
Parishes
Central Diocese
Schools
**RESTRICTED**
Parishes
Central Diocese
Schools
**ENDOWMENT**
Parishes
Central Diocese
**TOTAL FUNDS**|**Tangible**
**assets**
**Investments**
**Net current**
**assets**
**2025**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
34,336
8,776
7,536
50,648
13,349
24,854
(9,080)
29,123
1,503
-
661
2,164|
|---|---|
||49,188
33,630
(883)
81,935|
||1,926
1,115
5,500
8,541
211
1,123
319
1,653
-
-
-|
||2,137
2,238
5,819
10,194|
||4,890
5,822
100
10,812
322
531
12
865|
||5,212
6,353
112
11,677|
||56,537
42,221
5,048
103,806|
|||
## **FUNDS NET ASSET ANALYSIS 2024**
|**UNRESTRICTED**
Parishes
Central Diocese
Schools
**RESTRICTED**
Parishes
Central Diocese
Schools
**ENDOWMENT**
Parishes
Central Diocese
**TOTAL FUNDS**|**Tangible**
**assets**
**Investments**
**Net current**
**assets**
**2024**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
34,594
7,815
9,811
52,220
12,983
20,293
(9,619)
23,657
1,503
-
686
2,189|
|---|---|
||49,080
28,108
878
78,066|
||1,964
1,051
5,000
8,015
211
1,059
506
1,776
-
-
-
-|
||2,175
2,110
5,506
9,791|
||4,852
5,492
165
10,509
322
501
(1)
822|
||5,174
5,993
164
11,331|
||56,429
36,211
6,548
99,188|
`
Page | 35
## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **18. FUNDS ANALYSIS 2025**
|**UNRESTRICTED GENERAL FUNDS**
Parishes (see note)
Central
Schools
**UNRESTRICTED DESIGNATED FUNDS**
Parishes (see note)
Central
Retired priests
Ecclesiastical education
Clergy formation
Mission fund
Fixed Assets
Advances
Schools
Fixed Assets|**Opening**
**balance**
**Income**
**Expenditure**
**Investment**
**gains / (losses)**
**Transfers**
**Closing**
**balance**
**£000s**
**£000s**
**£000s**
**£000s**
**£000s**
**£000s**
3,100
3,213
(4,293)
4,860
2,079
8,959
686
1,979
(2,004)
-
-
661|
|---|---|
||3,786
5,192
(6,297)
4,860
2,079
9,620|
||52,220
13,137
(12,637)
533
(2,605)
50,648
3,228
60
(611)
-
151
2,828
958
2
(79)
-
151
1,032
1,653
-
(93)
-
-
1,560
906
15
(424)
105
88
690
12,753
-
-
1,129
13,882
1,059
-
-
-
(887)
172
1,503
-
-
-
-
1,503|
||74,280
13,214
(13,844)
638
(1,973)
72,315|
|**TOTAL UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**
**RESTRICTED FUNDS**
Parishes
Parishes within Diocesan Trust
Trusts connected with Parishes
Endowment trusts restricted income
Central
Poor
Lourdes Pilgrimage
Foundation Masses
UBS Chaplaincies
Others
Trusts connected with Central
Schools
Catholic Education promotion
**TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS**
**ENDOWMENT FUNDS**
Parishes
Parishes within Diocesan Trust
Trusts connected with Parishes
Central
Episcopal administration
Ecclesiastical education
Trusts connected with Central
**TOTAL ENDOWMENT FUNDS**
**TOTAL ALL FUNDS**||
||78,066
18,406
(20,141)
5,498
106
81,935|
||5,037
1,447
(1,093)
12
-
5,403
2,363
12
(1)
26
(6)
2,394
615
140
(18)
26
(19)
744|
||8,015
1,599
(1,112)
64
(25)
8,541|
||368
33
(83)
30
-
348
488
91
(148)
-
-
431
572
-
-
33
-
605
88
-
-
-
(88)
-
49
91
(82)
-
-
58
211
-
-
-
-
211|
||1,776
215
(313)
63
(88)
1,653|
||-
-
-
-
-
-|
||9,791
1,814
(1,425)
127
(113)
10,194|
||924
-
(19)
54
959
9,585
-
(15)
276
7
9,853|
||10,509
-
(34)
330
7
10,812|
||369
10
-
23
22
424
131
3
-
7
(22)
119
322
-
-
-
-
322|
||822
13
-
30
-
865|
||11,331
13
(34)
360
7
11,677|
||99,188
20,233
(21,600)
5,985
-
103,806|
Page | 36
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **Unrestricted designated funds**
The Corporate Trustee has set aside designated funds out of unrestricted funds to ensure that certain activities or responsibilities of the Trust are adequately financed. The following are continuous funds designated for long-term use:
- Parishes - in Canon Law each parish has a distinct legal personality and is administered by the parish priest under the authority of the Bishop. In Canon Law a parish can acquire and dispose of assets in its own right. The Trustees regard parish unrestricted funds as designated funds. Parishes transferred £2.6 million to the Central Diocese to support Central activities.
- Retired Priests - to support priests in retirement with accommodation and nursing needs.
- Ecclesiastical Education - for the education of students to the priesthood and continuing formation.
- Fixed Assets – for the provision of land and buildings for use in the activities of the Diocese. A separate fund is designated for fixed assets used by Schools.
- Advances – to provide long-term loans to schools to finance development programmes.
- Clergy Formation - clergy formation (including ongoing formation) and the fostering of vocations
- Diocesan Mission Fund - projects that support the implementation of the Pastoral Plan, with its emphasis on lay formation and evangelisation.
## **Restricted funds**
In the parishes these mainly relate to funds raised for specific parish building projects. In the Central Diocese funds are restricted for the following purposes:
- Poor - Aid to poor religious orders and laity
- Foundation Masses - Clergy stipends for Masses celebrated on the anniversary of the deceased
- Universities of Brighton & Sussex Chaplaincies - created from donations from Trust to maintain Chaplaincy building and facilities
- Lourdes Pilgrimage – for promoting and organising pilgrimages to Lourdes
## **Permanent endowment funds**
Eight parishes have connected permanent endowment trusts for their support. See note 19. A Total Return approach is adopted to the permanent endowment investments.
Page | 37
## **ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **18. FUNDS ANALYSIS 2024**
|**UNRESTRICTED GENERAL FUNDS**
Parishes (see note)
Central
Schools
**UNRESTRICTED DESIGNATED FUNDS**
Parishes (see note)
Central
Retired priests
Ecclesiastical education
Clergy formation
Mission fund
Fixed Assets
Advances
Schools
Fixed Assets|**Opening**
**balance**
**Income**
**Expenditure**
**Investment**
**gains / (losses)**
**Transfers**
**Closing**
**balance**
**£000s**
**£000s**
**£000s**
**£000s**
**£000s**
**£000s**
2,738
2,776
(4,613)
1,065
1,134
3,100
207
2,336
(1,857)
-
-
686|
|---|---|
||2,945
5,112
(6,470)
1,065
1,134
3,786|
||52,415
12,887
(11,067)
294
(2,309)
52,220
3,575
60
(557)
-
150
3,228
727
207
(126)
-
150
958
1,653
-
-
-
-
1,653
975
-
(69)
-
-
906
12,364
-
-
-
389
12,753
329
-
-
-
730
1,059
1,503
-
-
-
-
1,503|
||73,541
13,154
(11,819)
294
(890)
74,280|
|**TOTAL UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**
**RESTRICTED FUNDS**
Parishes
Parishes within Diocesan Trust
Trusts connected with Parishes||
||76,486
18,266
(18,289)
1,359
244
78,066|
||4,605
1,258
(833)
7
-
5,037
2,364
10
(5)
24
(30)
2,363|
|Endowment trusts restricted income|594
131
(42)
3
(71)
615|
|Central
Poor
Lourdes Pilgrimage
Foundation Masses
UBS Chaplaincies
Others
Trusts connected with Central
Schools
Catholic Education promotion
**TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS**
**ENDOWMENT FUNDS**
Parishes
Parishes within Diocesan Trust
Trusts connected with Parishes
Central
Episcopal administration
Ecclesiastical education
Trusts connected with Central
**TOTAL ENDOWMENT FUNDS**
**TOTAL ALL FUNDS**||
||7,563
1,399
(880)
34
(101)
8,015|
||401
-
(57)
24
-
368
562
-
(74)
-
-
488
546
-
-
26
-
572
79
28
(19)
-
-
88
54
5
(10)
-
-
49
211
-
-
-
-
211|
||1,853
33
(160)
50
-
1,776|
||52
-
(52)
-
-
-|
||9,468
1,432
(1,092)
84
(101)
9,791|
||1,033
-
-
41
(150)
924
9,365
9
(18)
222
7
9,585|
||10,398
9
(18)
263
(143)
10,509|
||346
-
-
23
-
369
131
-
-
-
-
131
322
-
-
-
-
322|
||799
-
-
23
-
822|
||11,197
9
(18)
286
(143)
11,331|
||97,151
19,707
(19,399)
1,729
-
99,188|
Page | 38
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **19. CONNECTED TRUSTS**
Registered Charity No: 252878
## **Notes to the Accounts**
## **For the year ended 31st December 2023**
|**Note 19**
**Funds analysis of Connected Trusts**
**Trust**
**Beneficiary**
**Nature**
**RESTRICTED**
Ashburnham
Battle
Land and investments
Elmer
Retired priests
Land
Gaisford
Worthing
Land
Grant
St Leonard's
Land
Hyland
Godalming
Land
Munster
Keymer
Land
Norfolk
Dorking
Land
Norfolk
Horsham
Land
Salvin
Sutton Park
Land
Stacpole
Caterham
Land
**PERMANENT ENDOWMENT RESTRICTED INCOME**
Bedingfeld
Duncton
Investments
Biddulph Education
Duncton
Investments
Buckley
Retired priests
Land and investments
Cemetery
Burwash
Land and investments
Hope
Herons Ghyll
Land and investments
Lang
Oxted
Land and investments
Leslie
Slindon
Land and investments
Norfolk
Angmering
Land and investments
Norfolk 1901
Littlehampton
Investments
Norfolk Cemetery
Arundel
Land and investments
Norfolk Cemetery
Houghton
Land and investments
Scawen Blunt
Crawley
Land and investments
**PERMANENT ENDOWMENT**
Bedingfeld
Duncton
Investments
Biddulph
Duncton
Land
Biddulph Education
Duncton
Investments
Buckley
Retired priests
Land
Cemetery
Burwash
Investments
Hope
Herons Ghyll
Investments
Hope
Herons Ghyll
Land
Lang
Oxted
Investments
Lang
Oxted
Land
Leslie
Slindon
Investments
Leslie
Slindon
Land
Norfolk
Arundel
Land
Norfolk
Littlehampton
Land
Norfolk 1901
Littlehampton
Investments
Norfolk Cemetery
Arundel
Land
Norfolk Cemetery
Arundel
Investments
Norfolk Cemetery
Houghton
Investments
Pauling
Effingham
Land
Scawen Blunt
Crawley
Investments
Scawen Blunt
Crawley
Land
**TOTAL CONNECTED TRUSTS**|**Opening**
**balance**
**Income**
**Expenditure**
**Investment**
**gains /**
**(losses)**
**Transfers**
**Closing balance**
**2025**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
681
12
(1)
26
(6)
712
211
211
10
10
135
135
58
58
39
39
2
2
934
934
246
246
258
258|
|---|---|
||2,574
12
(1)
26
(6)
2,605|
||26
7
33
51
18
69
-
-
-
-
52
10
62
-
-
5
13
(18)
-
429
13
26
468
25
9
(12)
22
-
-
27
27
-
70
(7)
63|
||615
140
(18)
26
(19)
744|
||**Opening**
**balance**
**Income**
**Expenditure**
**Investment**
**gains /**
**(losses)**
**Transfers**
**Closing balance**
**2025**
243
(1)
15
257
1
1
643
(6)
38
675
322
322
6
6
372
22
394
2
2
5
5
1,156
1,156
384
(6)
22
400
161
161
799
799
168
(1)
167
279
18
297
803
803
71
5
76
5
2
7
647
647
2,687
(1)
154
7
2,847
1,153
1,153|
||9,907
-
(15)
276
7
10,175|
|||
||13,096
152
(34)
328
(18)
13,524|
Page | 39
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **Permanent endowment trust investments**
A Total Return approach is adopted to the permanent endowment investments for eight parish trusts:
|**As at 1.1.25**
PE Gift
Unapplied total return
**Total**
**During the year:**
Transfer to endowment
Investment gains
Expenditure
**Total**
**As at 31.12.25**
PE Gift
Unapplied total return
Total|Bedingfeld
Duncton
Biddulph
Education
Duncton
Hope
Herons
Ghyll
Scawen
Blunt
Crawley
Leslie
Slindon
Norfolk
1901
L'hampton
Norfolk
Cemetery
Arundel
Norfolk
Cemetery
Houghton
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
**£'000**
156
347
280
775
85
129
39
2
87
296
92
1,912
299
150
32
3
**243**
**643**
**372**
**2,687**
**384**
**279**
**71**
**5**
-
-
-
7
-
-
-
-
15
38
22
154
22
18
5
2
(1)
(6)
-
(1)
(6)
-
-
-
**14**
**32**
**22**
**160**
**16**
**18**
**5**
**2**
156
347
280
775
85
129
39
2
101
328
114
2,072
315
168
37
5
257
675
394
2,847
400
297
76
7|
|---|---|
In addition, the following trusts comprise land holdings only for schools and/or cemeteries: St Joseph’s primary school trust in Haywards Heath
Fairlight cemetery trust near Hastings (permanent endowment) Marist primary school trust in West Byfleet Education trust for Diocese
Norfolk trust for school and cemetery in Angmering
Page | 40
**ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DIOCESAN TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **20. COMMITMENTS GUARANTEES AND CONTINGENCIES**
**Capital Commitments:** At 31 December 2025 there was one capital commitment for £3.3 million on parish properties (2024 Nil). There were no capital commitments on maintained or independent schools (2024 Nil).
**Contingent Liability:** The Diocese provides support to its retired priests, in line with established Diocesan practice and in accordance with Canon Law requirements. In the opinion of the Trustees, this constitutes a constructive obligation, as defined by the Charities SORP (FRS 102). The amount of this obligation cannot be measured with sufficient reliability as the support required by individual priests will vary considerably, particularly depending on whether any third-party care is needed.
## **21. SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES**
## **DIOCESE OF ARUNDEL & BRIGHTON (BUILDING SERVICES) LIMITED**
The wholly owned trading subsidiary was incorporated in the United Kingdom in 1991 (Reg No 2576444). The company manages building contracts on behalf of the Diocese. The Diocese owns all the issued share capital of two ordinary shares. A summary of the trading results is shown below.
All the turnover represents sales of building construction to the Diocese. The subsidiary has no material net assets or liabilities and there is therefore no significant difference between the Statement of Financial Activities and the Balance Sheet of the charity by itself and those of the group comprising the charity and its subsidiary. The charity and its subsidiary are not consolidated. This company is dormant and has not traded since 2016.
## **Arundel and Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage Limited**
The wholly owned trading subsidiary was incorporated in the United Kingdom (Reg no 2998831). The company directors resolved to wind up the company in 2021 and its trade, assets and liabilities were transferred to the Diocese Trust in that year. The total net liabilities transferred was (£1,938) in 2021. It is anticipated that this company will be struck off during 2026.
## **22. Related Party Transactions**
Insofar as the Trustees are aware, there are no matters required to be reported other than that already shown in the accounts.
Page | 41