BRITISH CHARITY FUND - BERNE

Registered charity 253480 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as BRITISH EMBASSY, CONSULAR SECTION, CHARITY FUND

The fund is used to relieve poverty, sickness, suffering and distress for British & Commonwealth citizens living in Switzerland and also for any needy person recommended by one of the British churches in Switzerland.

Objects

A) FOR THE RELIEF OF POVERTY, SICKNESS, SUFFERING AND DISTRESS AMONG BRITISH SUBJECTS RESIDENT TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY IN SWITZERLAND. B) IN GRANTS, SUBVENTIONS AND OTHER ASSISTANCE TOWARDS SUCH PURPOSES OF LOCAL SWISS CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS AS ARE CHARITABLE BY THE LAW OF ENGLAND ON UNDERTAKING BY THE SAID ORGANISATIONS TO APPLY SUCH GRANTS SUBVENTIONS AND OTHER ASSISTANCE FOR THE PRESCRIBED CHARITABLE PURPOSES. (FOR DETAILS SEE CLAUSE 2 OF CONSTITUTION ADOPTED 13TH MAY 1969)

Area of benefit: SWITZERLAND

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

Causes: The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity incurred a loss of CHF 35,563.83 for the financial year ended 31 December 2025, primarily because payments to individuals and organizations exceeded dividend income. The total return on capital was 15.3%, outperforming the Swiss Market Index return of 14.6% for the same period.

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 3 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.

• Complaints policy and procedures
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Investing charity funds policy and procedures
• Investment
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Trustees · trustee networks

• Andrew Koneckichair
• David Jones
• Enno Van Der Gaal
• Graham Robertson
• Joanna Erfani
• Mary Palmesino MBE
• Nicolette Bauernfeind
• Rev Helen Marshall

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

Operates in: France · Switzerland

Income and spending

Common questions