THE SOUTH LONDON CHURCH FUND AND SOUTHWARK DIOCESAN BOARD OF FINANCE
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that the Diocesan Board of Finance finished 2024 with a surplus of £0.4m, reversing a £3m deficit from the previous year, driven by gains on property sales and increased income from the Parish Support Fund. The charity holds free/unrestricted reserves of £2.968m, which are below the stated policy target of three months' budgeted unrestricted expenditure (£6.5m).
What the accounts disclose
“The Trustees’ policy was gradually to grow working financial reserves in the General Fund such that it was equivalent to three months’ budgeted unrestricted expenditure by the end of 2020, with an aspiration to achieve six months’ budgeted unrestricted expenditure by the end of 2025.”
“SDBE Multi Academy Trust (MAT), which is an exempt charitable company (No 10385920). The SDBF is a member of the MAT and is represented through the Diocesan Secretary.”
“The SDBF is the beneficial owner of a subsidiary undertaking, Southwark DBF Trading, a company limited by guarantee, which is registered in England and supplies property and administrative services to the SDBF.”
Corporate structure
- Registered company of the charity Companies House 00236594
- Trading subsidiary: SOUTHWARK DBF TRADING LIMITED Companies House 04374984
Leadership, per the charity’s website
- Christopher Chessun — Bishop of Southwark
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)
Trustees
- Adrian Greenwood
- David Anthony Williams OBE
- David Richard Beamish
- Dr NICHOLAS JOHN BURT
- Grahame Elliott Woods
- James William Murdoch
- Jonathan Maurice Sedgwick
- Joseph Ahosu Goswell
- PETER CHARLES EDWARD CALDERBANK
- Paul Martin Waddell
- ROSEMARY GEORGIA WILSON
- Rebecca Justine Chapman
- Rev Anne Yvonne Bennett
- Rev Antonio Garcia Fuerte
- Rev Bridget Clare Shepherd
- Rev Edward Fraser A Scrase-Field
- Rev Gregory Stephen Prior
- Rev Helen Jane Cook
- Rev Jonathan Niall Agnew MacNeaney
- Rev Nicholas James Peacock
- Right Rev. Alastair Murray Cutting
- Roshan Naveenchandra Jathanna
- Rt Revd Jonathan Martin Gainsborough
- Sarah Frances Docx
- Solabomi Anike Ogun
- The Revd Capt Nicholas Kwabena Lebey
- The Revd Dr Charles John Mackinnon Baczyk-Bell
- The Rt Revd Christopher Thomas James Chessun
- The Rt Revd Dr Marlene Rosemarie Mallett
- The Venerable Dr Chigor Chike
- The Venerable SIMON PHILIP GATES
- Thomas Marshall Manson
- Vasantha Gnanadoss
- Ven Geoffrey James William Dumbreck
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/12/2024 | £28.5m | £28.2m |
| 31/12/2023 | £23.8m | £26.8m |
| 31/12/2022 | £26.1m | £25.9m |
| 31/12/2021 | £29.0m | £24.4m |
| 31/12/2020 | £25.3m | £23.9m |
Common questions
Is THE SOUTH LONDON CHURCH FUND AND SOUTHWARK DIOCESAN BOARD OF FINANCE financially healthy?
The accounts state that the Diocesan Board of Finance finished 2024 with a surplus of £0.4m, reversing a £3m deficit from the previous year, driven by gains on property sales and increased income from the Parish Support Fund. The charity holds free/unrestricted reserves of £2.968m, which are below the stated policy target of three months' budgeted unrestricted expenditure (£6.5m). Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP.
Who funds THE SOUTH LONDON CHURCH FUND AND SOUTHWARK DIOCESAN BOARD OF FINANCE?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THE SOUTH LONDON CHURCH FUND AND SOUTHWARK DIOCESAN BOARD OF FINANCE as a grant recipient include THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST, OLD COULSDON IN THE DIOCESE OF SOUTHWARK, THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST. MILDRED'S, ADDISCOMBE, THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF SAINT MARK, REIGATE.
Known funders
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 21/09/2016 | £165k | "Phase 1 of urgent external repairs" |