ST MARY'S PRIORY FERNHAM RESIDUAL FUND

Registered charity 229393 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as (THE COMMUNITY OF) BENEDICTINE NUNS AT ST MARY'S PRIORY, ST MARY'S PRIORY, ST MARYS PRIORY

The activities of the charity can be divided into two main areas: caring for the members of the community, including supporting the ministries of the individuals, and the advancement of the Roman Catholic religion-primarily by giving grants.

Causes: Religious Activities · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · Get email alerts

Latest income

£140k

Latest spending

£1.4m

Registered

1963

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net decrease in funds of £978,279 for the year ended 31 December 2024, driven by charitable expenditure exceeding investment income. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £4,327,083, which the trustees consider sufficient to meet future liabilities and cover core costs. The auditor confirmed that the use of the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate with no material uncertainties identified.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Investments and interest receivable (92% of income)

“Income comprises £128,834 (2023 – £192,468) from investments and donations were £8,718 (2023 – negative £240,471).”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: sufficient to generate sufficient income to meet annual expenditure after accounting for investment gains (held: £4.3m)

“The trustees consider that, given the nature of the charity’s work, the level of free reserves should be sufficient to generate sufficient income to meet annual expenditure after accounting for investment gains.” — page 8

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Grant paid to Abbot Visitor for general expenses.

“In addition to these grants towards the Abbot Visitor’s related parties, a grant towards the Abbot Visitor’s general expenses, to advance his work, was made for £10,000 (2023 – £nil).” — page 25

“A grant of £2,298, included within the grants to Saint Michael’s Abbey Trust, was awarded towards the Latin Studies of Dom Stanislaus Mycka.” — page 25

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Grant paid towards Latin Studies of Dom Stanislaus Mycka, a trustee.

“In addition to these grants towards the Abbot Visitor’s related parties, a grant towards the Abbot Visitor’s general expenses, to advance his work, was made for £10,000 (2023 – £nil).” — page 25

“A grant of £2,298, included within the grants to Saint Michael’s Abbey Trust, was awarded towards the Latin Studies of Dom Stanislaus Mycka.” — page 25

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2022)

Total income

£516k

Total spending

£2.5m

Cost of raising funds

£48k

Reserves (reported)

£6.2m

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~29.3 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 7.0 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (51% 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: 9.4% of total income — above the median for charities its size (2.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

John David Coverdale
Rev Dom Stanislaus Demetrius Mycka
Rev Oliver Richard Aaron Craddock
Rev Paul James Smith · trustee of 3 other charities
Richard John Berkley-Matthews · trustee of 2 other charities
Right Rev Dom David Cuthbert Brogan OSB · trustee of 2 other charities
Stephen Thomas Moseling

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

Operates in: India · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales · United States

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2024	£140k	£1.4m
31/12/2023	£204k	£1.5m
31/12/2022	£516k	£2.5m
31/12/2021	£268k	£1.2m
31/12/2020	£235k	£733k

Common questions

Is ST MARY'S PRIORY FERNHAM RESIDUAL FUND financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net decrease in funds of £978,279 for the year ended 31 December 2024, driven by charitable expenditure exceeding investment income. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £4,327,083, which the trustees consider sufficient to meet future liabilities and cover core costs. The auditor confirmed that the use of the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate with no material uncertainties identified. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with MATER ECCLESIAE CIO.

MATER ECCLESIAE CIO income £354k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN HIGHAM FERRERS income £113k
THE SOCIETY OF MARY (MARIST FATHERS) CIO income £789k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY, EAST GRINSTEAD income £110k
ST MARY'S CHRISTIAN WORKERS TRUST income £483k
SISTERS OF CHARITY OF ST PAUL THE APOSTLE income £5.3m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
ST MARY'S PRIORY FERNHAM RESIDUAL FUND	£140k	—	above	—	no doubt
MATER ECCLESIAE CIO FY2025	£354k	—	above	—	no doubt
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN HIGHAM FERRERS FY2024	£113k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE SOCIETY OF MARY (MARIST FATHERS) CIO FY2024	£789k	—	above	—	no doubt
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY, EAST GRINSTEAD FY2025	£110k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
ST MARY'S CHRISTIAN WORKERS TRUST FY2025	£483k	—	above	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.