Trustee< Annual R•port for the Tftar ended 31 Dewnber 2025
Thetrustees present the annual report and statements of Receipt5 and Payments and Assets and LiabilltI￿ frjr the Paflsh
of Dona8hMO￿, commonly known as St Mlchael's. CastlecaLslfleld for the year ended 31 De￿rnber 2025.
ObJertl¥e$ and Actmtles
The Charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advan￿ment of reli81on.
The principal functSon of the Donaghmore Church of Ireland Parish is to support the athancement of the Christlan
religion by promotin& through the work of the Donaghmore Parish Church the whole mission of the Church, pastoral,
evangelistic, so¢¥al ènd ecumenical. Belng open to and èngaging with society as a whole and offering support for those
needing help are fundamental to the practical delivery of the beneflts of Christianity.
As a result of activity in the pursuit of the adVan￿rnent of the Chrlstlan rellgion, the Donaghmore Church ol Ireland
Parish has custody of propèrty arbd of records, materials and artefacts of Significan￿ to the ¢ultural and rellgious
heritage and maintenan¢e of which is undertaken by the Select Vestry of the Donaghmore Churth of t￿land Parish.
A¢hle¥ements. Perforniance & Publ1¢ Benefit
The Church exists primarlly, and above all else, a5 a place of Christlan worship. Services of publ1¢ worshlp are held each
Sunday morning throughout the year and each Wednesday momin8. Evenlng services are held on We¢Jnesday nights
durlng LenL each night in Holy Week Iboth shared with our sister paTishes1. at Harvest Thanks8svin& Boy'5 Brigade
Enrolment, and at Christma5 tide (Carol servi￿ and Chrlstmas eve servicel.
The parish is always pleased to host groups from the wlder community. and doe5 50 annually for the Orange Order and
bi-annualty for the Apprèntice Boys of Derry. The local Primary khool hold their annual Carol Service in the Church. and
their winter atKI sprlng con￿rtS In the parish hall. The lo¢al Masonic lodge also hold their annual Carol 5ervlce in St
Michael's
There are good working relat10ft5hips wlth other local churches. The deT8V of the local Methodist and Presbyterian
Churches joln with us regularly and there 15 a re￿ntlY established servtce for Christian Unity WÈek. alternating with St
Patricvs Roman Catholic Church in Donaghmore.
During the year 2025 there We￿ a totsl of elght baptlsms, one marriage, and three funeral Ser￿￿ In the church.
The Church buildin8 Trs of notable historical smportance. Built in the early 1680$ and incorporating features from its
medieval predecessor and a150 the lo¢al castle, it is one of the oldest buildings of the locality in continuous use. Of
particular note Is the south nave window, which is the orlglnal east wlndow from the medieval ¢hur¢h Imentioned In the
Annals of the Four Masters), the pillars on both south and west doors. and the carving5 of angels (west wall, east wall
and por¢hl, a dragon (west wall), and the arms of the Caulfield family Iwest wall). Both the entrance pillars and the
8urges Mausoleum a￿ grade I listed buildings, as is the Church.
The recently restored hlstoric plpe organ contlnues to be In regular use both liturBically and for concerts. redtals and
broadcasts.
The parish Sunday School (the New Life Group) meets weekly from September through to May. and participates monthly
in worship. The Parish supports a large Boys Brigade Company lapproxlmately 70 members and 16 officers). a branch of
the Mothers Union. and a weekly patchwork and craft class.
Parish Hall facilities are additionally used by the Hortlcultura5 Sodety. the Open Door Club and the Young Farmers Club.
Parish finances and fabrlc are cared for by the Select Vestry. VaTiOUS fund raisin8 and social events are held each year.
The parish supports several mlsslonary groups, partlcularly CMS and the Church Army. There Is also a serles of special
appeals and collections for various local and international groups and in Sight of international disasters.
PaNe 2

Trustee< Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2025 Icontlnued)
Flnanclal Rovlew
The main Income of the charlty is derived frorn parishioner donations supplemented by gift aid claims, fund
raising events and church organisations.
Total receipts have seen a modest Increase over the previous year with regular weekly freewill donations
remaining consistent supplemented by one off sources. either in the form of legacles or donation5 in memory
of family members. Total payments reflect a considerable reduction from the p￿iOUS year, contributing to a
surplus of £15.73012024: deficlt of £2921 for the year.
There are no rnaterial uncertainties impacting the charitys ability to continue as a going concern.
The Trustees, policy on holding reserves is to retaln sufficient unrestricted funds available to meet on*olng
runnin8 cost5 for a minimum of one year having consideration for Tegular sources of parishioner weekly
donations based on historical, current and projected Congfegatlon levels.
No funds were materlally In deficlt at the end of the year.
Golng Concern
The trustees hove reviewed the budgetsfor the year ahead and ure st7tisfied thot the￿ ore odequatefvnds In pla￿ to
ensure thot the Portish con contlnue Its acrlvltle5 t7nd theflntinclal stotementsfor the year ended 31 December 2025 c(Jn
be signedoff as a golng concem.
Strnrture. Governance and Management
GovemlnqDo¢umentond Constltutkn oAthe Charfty
Chapter 111 of the Constitution of the Churth of Ireland governs Parishes and Parochial Organls3tlon. The Select Vestry
members are the Charity Trustees
Recrnltment47ndAppolfttmentolSelert Vestry ftrnstees)
All members of the Church of Irel8nd who are over the age of 18 and are elther resSdent withln the parlsh or Ilve
elsewhere but have been accustomed members of the congregation for at least three rnonths, may re8iSter as members
of the general vestry of the parish, allowing them to attend and vote at meetinBs of the general vestry and to stand for
elettion to the sele¢t vestry. Meetings of the general vestry are held at least once a year. The Select Vestry is elected 8s
part of this General Vestry meeting. The Selert Vestry will hold their p051tions for a pèriod of one year. Sèlect Vestry
members may be re*lected annually and there is no Ilmit on the number of terms which may be served.
Payand remunèratlon
Select Vestry members do not receive remuneration for their appointment as Trustees. Where a member of the Select
Vestry has provided services which are distinct from their role as trustee then the Select Vestry rnay approve such
remuneration providing the Select Vestry act in the best interest of the charitv.
Pa8e 3

Trustee￿ Annual Report fov the year ended 311)ecember 2025 {¢ontlnuedl
Orgaftlsatlonolstrurture
The Select Vestry is responsible for the day to day management of the parish. The Select Vestry consists of the member
of the cler8y serving in the parish, any curate assistant 1.the Curat￿), the churchwardens. the 8lebe wardens and
generally not mcire than twelve other members of the general vestry elected at the General Vestry.
The Select Vestry Is ¢halred by the incumbent or other member of the derEY offlciating in the parlsh. Select Vestry
members are responsTrble for maklng decisions on matter5 of general concern and importance to the parlsh includlng
deading how parish funds are to be applied.
The Select Vestry meets at times fixed by the members or by the Diocesan Synod. Special meetings may be convened at
any tlme by the chairperson or the churchwardens. In 2025 the Select Vestry Met 3 tirne5 durin8 the year12024: 3 times)
and the average attendance was 68%12024'. 72%1.
C4wnpllonce wlth Publlc Befteft
The Parish has given careful consideration to the Charity Commlssion for Northern Irelands guldance on public benefit to
ensure that the actives entered into during the year have helped to 8chleve the Parish's objectives and activtties, as well
as providin8 public benefit.
Statem•rt of Trustee5' Responslbilrlie5
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees, Report and the statement of receipts ar)d payments and
statement of assets and Ilabilltles In accordance wlth applicable law and re8ulation5.
The law applicable to charities in Northern Ireland with Inwme of less than £250,000 requires the trustees to prepare a
statement of receipts and payments and a statement of assets and Ilabilitles for each flnancial year.
The trustees are responsible for keeplng accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Parish's
transactions and disclose with reasonable accuraLy at any time the assets and Ilabillties of the Parish. They are also
responslble for safeguarding the assets of the Parish and hence for takin8 reasonable steps for the preventlon and
detectlon of fraud and other irregularities.
SI￿ed on Behalf of the Trustees
Ell￿1￿1￿ Burrows
Ltsa M Farland
28 Aprll 2026