SHEPHERDS DENE

Registered charity 1138224 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

To advance the Christian religion by the provision of a house of retreat, primarily but not exclusively for members of the Churchof England who are resident in the Dioceses of Newcastle and Durham, which may also be used for any other charitable purpose which in the opinion of the trustee will maintain and strengthen the religious and educational life of its users.

Objects

TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION BY THE PROVISION OF A HOUSE OF RETREAT PRIMARILY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND WHO ARE RESIDENT IN THE DIOCESE OF DURHAM AND NEWCASTLE, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR ANY OTHER CHARITABLE PUROSE WHICH IN THE OPINION OF THE DIRECTORS WILL MAINTAIN AND STRENGTHEN THE RELGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL LIFE OF ITS USERS.

Area of benefit: DIOCESE OF DURHAM AND NEWCASTLE

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · Religious Activities · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £95,508 for the year ended 31 December 2025, a significant reversal from the previous year's surplus. The trustees note that free reserves were below the desired policy level of three months' operating expenditure, attributing this to current cost of living pressures. Despite the deficit, the charity maintains substantial unrestricted funds of £2,668,690 and confirms it has adequate resources to continue in operational existence.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Complaints handling
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Conflicting interests
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Investing charity funds policy and procedures
• Paying staff
• Risk management
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Shepherds Dene (matched by registered charity number).

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Reported reserves equal ~4.2 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 7.1 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.6% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.0%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

• Alistair Jenkins
• Elisabeth Flora Rowark
• Ingrid Hall Horne
• Rev Barbara Anne Hilton · trustee of 1 other charity
• Venerable Rachel Astrid Wood · trustee of 4 other charities

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Durham · Gateshead · Newcastle Upon Tyne City · North Tyneside · Northumberland · South Tyneside · Sunderland

Income and spending

Common questions