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Lisburn Cathedral
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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) (effective 1 January 2019).
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives and aims
The principal function of this Parish is to support the advancement of the Christian religion by promoting, through the work of the Parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. Being open to, and engaging with, society as a whole, and offering support for those needing help are fundamental to the practical delivery of the benefits of Christianity.
All functions of the Parish relate to the expression of the Christian religion through engagement with the general public, in particular the disadvantaged, the sick, the elderly and the young and is a public benefit. The direct benefit of participation in Church life includes the enjoyment of regular worship, giving and receiving of pastoral ministry, improved understanding of the values relating to civic engagement, community cohesion and providing a bridge between diverse groups.
In addition to the principal function, the Parish has custody of property and of records, materials and artefacts of significance to the cultural and religious heritage, the maintenance of which is undertaken by the Select Vestry of this parish.
Management
All members of the Church of Ireland who are over the age of 18 and are either resident within the parish or live elsewhere but have been accustomed members of the congregation for at least three months and who give financially to the parish in an identifiable way, may register as members of the General Vestry of the parish, allowing them to stand for elected office and vote at annual meetings of the General Vestry. Meetings of the General Vestry are held at least once a year. Fourteen members of the Select Vestry are elected as part of this General Vestry meeting. The Select Vestry members will hold their positions for a period of one year. Select Vestry members may be re ~~-~~ elected annually and there is no limit on the number of terms which may be served. The Select Vestry meets monthly with the exception of July, August and December.
The elected Select Vestry members form the Charity Trustees, along with the current clergy, who are automatically members and two people appointed to specialist roles by the rector under the rules set out by the Church of Ireland constitution.
No trustee receives any remuneration, reward or private benefit for carrying out their trustee responsibility.
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Lisburn Cathedral
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Public benefit
Lisburn Cathedral seeks to engage with all of our local community through the ministries outlined below:
Regular Activities
Sunday Worship: On Sunday mornings there are normally 2 services (9.30am traditional & 11.00am contemporary). Evening Services on a regular basis along with key points in the year at Easter, Harvest, Christmas and for specific areas of ministry.
Children and Youth work: Parents and Toddlers, Sunday School (P4 to P7), Bible Class (Y8 ~~-~~ Y11) and Sunday Night Youth (Y8+) running regular formal and informal gatherings and additional irregular events. Scouts (all sections from Beavers to Explorers) also have regular use of Cathedral facilities for weekly meetings.
Prayer: Parish prayer time, prayer ministry, parish prayer chain, prayer appointments. Monthly Prayer and Praise event on Sunday evenings.
Lisburn Community Choir & Lisburn Community Children's Choir. The community choir (a separate charity in its own right) meets on a regular basis on a Monday to rehearse in the Cathedral building.
Lisburn Community Orchestra: We support the community orchestra through use of our church hall building as their venue to meet and practise weekly.
Mission: South Lisburn Community Church (SLCC) ~~—~~ This expanding ministry lead by a full time Pioneer Minister appointed in September 2024, continues to grow in the Hillhall and the South Lisburn wider community. Offering fellowship, support, worship and teaching across a range of pastoral and social issues, this work continues to build on local partnerships, including an ongoing project with the support of the local council and community groups that is currently seeking to build and run a new community facility in the Hillhall area. Alongside this major project, weekly activities include a regular Sunday worship service, a community hub ~~—~~ Chit Chat Café ~~—~~ for informal social activities, and an expanding area of youth work, following appointment of a full time Youth Co ~~-o~~ rdinator at Lisburn Cathedral, with a remit to support youth in both the Cathedral and SLCC. The mentorship programme in partnership with Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) facilitated through and in conjunction with the local primary school also continues to support children in the local area who struggle with engagement in education.
Pastoral care: Our clergy, along with our team of pastoral visitors, meet people in their homes, and particularly seek to stand alongside those with particular needs, the housebound and the bereaved.
Discipleship and Fellowship: A number of groups meet regularly providing a range of activities for fellowship, community and friendship including Housegroups, Ladies Bible study, Women's group, Mother's Union, Alpha, Nimble Fingers, Men's Fellowship and Cameo club for our senior citizens.
Coffee Room/Honesty Café: We have a coffee room which enables anyone to come and sit in a beautiful, historic building in warm comfortable surroundings, run by volunteers. The Coffee Room currently operates once a week on Friday mornings.
Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Debt counselling: Lisburn Cathedral has partnered with CAP and other local churches to offer debt counselling in our area. The service we offer is free.
Foodbank: The foodbank is an ongoing project to support people from the Lisburn area whose lives have been affected by the current economic recession which we actively support.
The Charity Trustees feel that the activities entered into during the year have achieved the Parish's objectives, as well as providing public benefit as referred to in the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland guidelines.
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Lisburn Cathedral
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Financial position
Financial reports are reviewed on an ongoing basis by the Select Vestry (Trustees) and are also reviewed on completion of the Annual Accounts. The Select Vestry presents the accounts at the annual meeting of the General Vestry prior to the elections.
Points to note during 2025 for our Parish:
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e In 2025 we once again saw our staff increase with appointment of a full time youth Co ~~-O~~ rdinator. Additional donations from our parishioners have been sought and some long term commitments have been obtained to help support this long term increase in our costs.
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e Building maintenance continues to be a notable ongoing cost, as is expected with an estate containing buildings dating from the 1600’s, 1800’s and 1900’s. We carried out notable work in our retail rental unit to repair damage due to damp and age, and new tenants have now begun to operate from the unit.
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e The fund raising to support remedial work on the hall continues to be a long term project. Additional funds have also been donated, however further substantial funds are still needed before new work can be started and we continue to explore grant funding options and the possibility of parcelling the work into smaller projects that can be completed in isolation, without impacting on the costs or overall project plans.
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e During the year ended 31 December 2025. Total Expenditure (£376,379) and Gross Income (£438,218). Sources of Income and Expenditure incurred during the year are reflected in the Statement of Financial Activities.
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e A reserve, equivalent to around 2 months’ regular spending, has been maintained in 2025.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number 101233
Name as shown on the Charity Commission Website:
Lisburn/Lisburn Cathedral(Blaris)/ Cathedral of Christ Church, Lisburn/Connor/Church of Ireland
Principal address
Cathedral Office 24A Castle Street Lisburn Co. Antrim BT27 4XD
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Lisburn Cathedral
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
Trustees
Very Rev. Sam Wright Rev. Peter Meenagh Rev. Lee Boal Mrs Jackie Armstrong (appointed 06/04/2025) Miss Grace Broddle Mr Owen Churton (appointed 06/04/2025) Mr David Davidson (until 06/04/2025) Mr Tam Dikibo Mr Rodney Dowling Mr Timothy Flanigan Mr Kenneth Gibson Mrs Julie Harper Mrs Hayley Howe Mrs Joanne Irwin (until 06/04/2025) Mrs Pam Irwin Mrs Jill Lester Mr Martin Lester Mr Bryn Lister (appointed 06/04/2025) Mr Raymond McCullough (appointed 06/04/2025) Mrs Rachel MclIlwrath (appointed 06/04/2025) Mr William Moore (until 06/04/2025) Mr Richard Norris (until 06/04/2025) Mr Simon Sellars Mr Richard Thompson
Independent Examiner MTS Chartered Accountants (McCreery Turkington Stockman Ltd ) 1 Lanyon Quay Belfast BT1 3LG Bankers Danske Bank 62 ~~-~~ 66 Bow Street Lisburn Co. Antrim BT28 1YS
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Lisburn Cathedral
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
Office Bearers
Dean ~~-~~ Very Rev. Sam Wright Curate ~~—~~ Rev. Lee Boal
Pioneer Minister ~~-~~ Rev. Pete Meenagh
Honorary Secretary ~~—~~ Mrs Jill Lester (until 06/04/2025) Honorary Secretary ~~—~~ Mrs Rachel MclIlwrath (appointed 06/04/2025) Honorary Treasurer ~~-~~ Mr Richard Thompson (reappointed 06/04/2025)
Peoples’ Churchwarden ~~—~~ Mr David Davidson (until 06/04/2025) Peoples’ Churchwarden ~~-~~ Mrs Jill Lester (appointed 06/04/2025) Rector's Churchwarden ~~—~~ Mrs Julie Harper (appointed 14/04/2024)
Rector's Glebewarden ~~—~~ Mr Tam Dikibo (until 06/04/2025) Rector's Glebewarden ~~—~~ Mr Kenneth Gibson (appointed 06/04/2025) Peoples’ Glebewarden ~~-~~ Mr Richard Norris (until 06/04/2025) Peoples’ Glebewarden ~~-~~ Mr Raymond McCullough (appointed 06/04/2025)
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 24th February 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
Sam ~~SAW~~ Wright (Feb ~~Wright~~ 24, 28%6 21:56:48 GMT) Very Rev. Sam Wright ~~-~~ Trustee
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