Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1 January 2023 - Period start date To 31 December 2023 - Period end date
Charity name: Order of Mary Servite Trust (Benburb Priory)
Charity registration number: 108785
Company Number: NI671223
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The charity’s objects (‘Objects’) are specifically restricted to the promotion of the following purposes for the benefit of the public: 1.1 The advancement of religion through the provision, upkeep and maintenance of Roman Catholic churches and other properties and facilities in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and the support of the Servite Order central administration (Curia), and the missionary apostolate including developing foundations. 1.2 The advancement of citizenship or community development through social, cultural and economic development activities in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. 1.3 The advancement of education including through the provision, upkeep and maintenance of the Priory Library and Museum and the books, artefacts and Servite archives contained therein. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
- Religious services - Library and Museum archiving, research and public visits - Lectures, talks and tours - Community events |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity |
Para 1.18 | The trustees are committed to ensuring public benefit from all the activities undertaken by the Trust. |
1
Commission on public benefit
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | The trust does not make grants but is a beneficiary of charitable grants from eg. The Heritage Fund |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | The Trustees in fulfilling the objects of the charity are committed to supporting and promoting the spiritual, social and economic well-being of the community and catchment area served by the charity |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | Volunteers are the life blood of the charity, contributing to the organisation and delivery of all of its objects. Paid employees are kept to a minimum thus ensuring that the charity’s income is directed primarily to charitable activities. |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | The trust provides spiritual, cultural, social and economic benefits to its local and wider community through: prayer and reflection, lectures and research, social interaction opportunities to people of all ages and social backgrounds, and support of fledgling businesses to enable them to mature. It is a major hub for community development in an area that has had a troubled past and continues to suffer from geographic and political peripherality, poor public services and infrastructure, and low economic performance indices. It also provides major educational and intellectual support for schools, community groups, historical societies and interested individuals. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
A major early objective was to imbed the new governance and organisational
2
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | structures that came into being in August 2020. This has been achieved. A further objective was to emerge from the Covid pandemic and ensure, in so far as was possible, that the Priory returned to pre-Covid levels of activity including weekly footfall. This was also achieved, as was stabilisation of the trust’s finances. |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Fundraising through charitable donations picked up again significantly post-Covid. This was supplemented by grant income from the Department for Communities and the Heritage Fund during 2021 and 2022. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | A major investment opportunity came in 2022 via a grant from the Department for Communities which enabled the appointment of a Coordinator of Marketing and Fundraising. Hopefully, this appointment will yield dividends in the future. |
| Other |
3
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The charity posted a deficit of £119,386 at the end of the accounting year, 2023. The charity has capital assets of £2,866,341.£ 2,866,341The charity incurred significant expenditure during the year in order to bring is buildings to required safety standards. It also suffered a dip in income due to reorganisation of human resource support from the Servite Order. This is being attended to. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | It is envisaged that modest reserves will accumulate over time in order to fund developments designed to enable the charity to maintain or increase its income and more effectively achieve its stated objects. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | The charity has capital reserves of £ 2,866,341 but zero cash reserves. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | This reflects the challenge of breaking even on income and expenditure. It is the intention to build up modest cash/investment reserves over time. |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | The charity has no funds materially in deficit. The wholly owned trading company, Benburb Priory Ltd, had a surplus of £59,289. The surplus will be gifted to the charity, OMST. |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | There are no current uncertainties regarding the charity’s sustainability. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | - Donations - Grant Income - Room/ building rental (via Benburb Priory Ltd) - Events |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | The charity is not in a position to make investments at this stage. All potential investments would conform to the Servites’ ethical investment policy. |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | Obvious potential risks would be a loss of income due to reputational damage or lack of success in generating donations, grant income or commercial activities (via Benburb Priory Ltd). |
| Other |
4
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
The Trust (OMST) is a charitable company limited by guarantee. |
|
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 |
The Trust/charitable company is constituted by Articles of Association. |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | The trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee. |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | The trust/company is governed by a board. As per the Articles of Association, the Board of trustees may add or delete trustees/directors using procedures laid out in the articles. All trustees/directors have equal voting rights. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | Trustees/directors are inducted through dedicated one to one training/mentoring by the chair and other experienced trustees. |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | The trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee. It has a trading subsidiary company, Benburb Priory Ltd which handles commercial activities eg, room, buildings and conacre rental, externally run conferences, craft shop etc. The trading company is wholly owned by the trust and gifts all profits annually to it. OMST is a branch of the Servite Order (Province of the Isles) but is financially autonomous. It receives an annual subvention from the Province of the Isles for the upkeep of the Library and Museum which_inter alia_houses all of the Servite archives for England, Ireland and Northern Ireland. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | As stated above, the trust, though financially independent, is affiliated to the Servite Order. The Servite Prior Provincial and the Servite Provincial Treasurer are trustees/directors of the trust. |
| Other |
6
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Order of Mary Servite Trust (OMST) |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | Benburb Priory |
| Registered charity number | 108785 |
| Charity’s principal address | 10 Main Street Benburb Co. Tyrone BT71 7JZ |
7
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
Note: All OMST board members are trustees/directors of the charitable company, OMST, and have equal voting rights. No trustee/director has any personal ownership of the charity/company.
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOYD, Kevin **Joseph ** |
Director/Trustee | Appointed 01.04.2023 | OMST Board | |
| CURRAN, **Bronagh ** |
Director/Trustee | Appointed 01.04.2023 | OMST Board | |
| DUFFY, Seamus | Director/Trustee | Appointed 01.01.2022 | OMST Board | |
| McGLYNN, Fr. Colm |
Director/Trustee | Appointed 23.07.2020 | Servite Order | |
| McKENNA, Prof. Patrick Gerald, |
Director/Trustee (Chair: 01.01.2023 – currently) |
Appointed 01.01.2022 | OMST Board | |
| NÍ UALLACHÁIN, Sr.Méabh |
Director/Trustee | Appointed 15.08.2023 | OMST Board | |
| O'BRIEN, Fr Christopher |
Director/Trustee | Appointed 23.07.2020 | Servite Order | |
| TAGGART, Noreen Elizabeth Rose |
Director/Trustee | Appointed 01.01.2022 | OMST Board | |
| THORNE, Fr. Bernard (Peter) |
Director/Trustee (Chair: 23.07.20 – 31.12.22) |
Appointed 23.07.2020 Resigned/Retired 31.12.22 |
Servite Order |
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity |
None. |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
|
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
8
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser None Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Not applicable.
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Prof Patrick Gerald McKenna Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Board of Order of Mary Chair, etc) Servite Trust Date 23.10.24
9