CONGREGATION OF LA RETRAITE CIO
Registered charity 1189341 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SISTERS OF LA RETRAITE
The Congregation has been active in the area of education and spiritual accompaniment in England for over 100 years. Due to the increasing age of members the charity supports a large number of sisters in their latter years in nursing and care homes. The charity runs Emmaus House (Whitchurch Bristol) a retreat and conference centre offering a variety of workshops retreats and professional training.
Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Religious Activities · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £329,549 for the year ended 31 December 2024, primarily due to a £1m gift to Durham University and reduced incoming resources. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted general funds stood at £466,694, which the trustees consider sufficient to cover anticipated future costs, aiming to maintain up to six months' worth of expenditure. The charity holds significant net assets of £20.3m, largely designated for the care of its members and fixed assets.
Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves policy: up to 6 months’ worth of expenditure (held: £467k)
“As a rule of thumb, the trustees aim to maintain up to 6 months’ worth of expenditure in General Funds.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Loans from members
“Interest free loans from members of the Congregation 431,758 431,758” — page 24
“The resulting deficit for 2024 was £968k which included a gift of £1m to Durham University’s Centre for Catholic Studies.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Gift to Durham University
“Interest free loans from members of the Congregation 431,758 431,758” — page 24
“The resulting deficit for 2024 was £968k which included a gift of £1m to Durham University’s Centre for Catholic Studies.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Bishop Fleming LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Property (HM Land Registry)
14 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (5 freehold); recorded price paid £3.7m. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£40k
Reported reserves equal ~5.3 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Investments (73% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 4.7% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).
- Sister Barbara Staffordchair
- SISTER HILARY WHITE
- Sister Aileen Mary Murphy
- Sister Joanna Avril O'Regan
- Sister Mary Bellekom
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Ireland · Throughout England
Income and spending
Common questions
Is CONGREGATION OF LA RETRAITE CIO financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £329,549 for the year ended 31 December 2024, primarily due to a £1m gift to Durham University and reduced incoming resources. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted general funds stood at £466,694, which the trustees consider sufficient to cover anticipated future costs, aiming to maintain up to six months' worth of expenditure. The charity holds significant net assets of £20.3m, largely designated for the care of its members and fixed assets. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Bishop Fleming LLP.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.
Charities like this
Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE BRITISH ISLES PROVINCE OF THE CONGREGATION OF SISTERS OF CHARITY OF JESUS AND MARY.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.