Charitable Status

Our charitable status

The best experience of ageing

The unique combination of our status as a charity and our strong financial position, allows us to give older people the best experience of ageing regardless of means.

How we are funded

Since the charity was established, the day-to-day operations of the Trust have been funded by an annual income generated from our endowment fund, which is combined with income from residents and customers who are able to cover their own fees.

This successful formula provides the Trust with an income that supports the Trust’s core activities and frees up the endowment income to support those individuals who cannot pay to access our services. This means that people from a range of different backgrounds can access and benefit from everything that we do.

The Trust's charitable status

We are registered with the Charity Commission, the UK regulatory body for all charitable organisations in the UK. The criteria for the evaluation of charitable status is the principle of public benefit, which states that the aims of the charity must be for public benefit and have one or more specified charitable purposes. In addition, the aims of the organisation should not be unreasonably restricted by geographical location or an individual’s ability to pay.

Our approach to the distribution of our own income and asking individuals who are able to fund their own services to do so, allows us to meet the requirements as set out by the Charity Commission.

Our accounting practices and the activities of our Trustees are also guided by the Charity Commission’s obligations for the running of charitable organisations. We submit annual audited accounts and demonstrate that the recruitment of Trustees to the Council complies with the specifications set out in our Trust Deed.

Society of Merchant Venturers

The Trustee Group is made up of 15 individuals who are nominated by representatives of the St Monica Council (6), the Bishops of Bristol, Bath & Wells, and Gloucester (3) and by the Society of Merchant Venturers (6). The Society of Merchant Venturers are also responsible for managing the Trust’s original endowment fund, bequeathed by Henry Wills on his death in 1922.

The wealth of experience and knowledge that this group of individuals brings to the Trust has had a significant impact on the success of the Trust over the years.

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