St Peter's Marlborough

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St Peter's
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Governance, Costs & Funding

Governance

St Peter’s and St Paul’s Marlborough Trust Limited was formed in 1978, and runs the church as a Charity on a 99-year lease from the Diocese of Salisbury. Over the many years, there has been a significance increase in legal requirements on charities and a greater emphasis on demonstrating good governance.  From the beginning, the Trust was set up as a membership organisation and, with the approval of the members, appoints a selected group of trustees to form a Council.

The Council of Trustees sets out and is accountable for the strategy and performance of the organisation against specific objectives. The Council is now supported by three subcommittees: Operation, Finance and Outreach. They scrutinise different areas of work and contribute another layer of insight.

In line with new developments, the Council seeks to engage more fully with the 2020 Governance Charity Code for Small Charities.

The Council establishes an annual budget that relates to our activities throughout the year and seeks to control expenses and maximise income to support its activities and deliver on our public benefit requirements. The Council manages all financial resources to maintain sufficient reserves in order to undertake necessary maintenance and major repairs to our unique building and ensure the sustainability of the charity.

Costs

Currently, our annual running costs are approximately GBP30,000 with exceptional expenses required from time to time to maintain and upgrade our 550 year old building. In addition, we manage a substantial contingency fund for unexpected costs relating to the building that may be necessary.

Funding

St Peter’s Trust pursues a diversified approach to funding, including: membership subscriptions;  local and national grants, the wholey-owned Cardinal Coffee Shop operating under a license agreement; and fees paid for hire of the church space.  Tower Tours also contribute to our funds, as well as donations from visitors and bequests from long-term members and supporters.  In addition, the Trust is developing a formal fund raising strategy to attract a wider range of community interest and financial support.

Useful links

Gift Aid Declaration


Thank you so much for donating to St Peter’s and St Paul’s Marlborough Trust. Your support is helping us to raise vital funds in order to preserve this building of significant historic interest and to provide a centre for the community to explore its history and enjoy its space.

If you sign up to Gift Aid, a tax relief allowing UK charities to reclaim an extra 25% in tax on every eligible donation made by a UK taxpayer, it means that without donating a penny extra, you're helping us keep St Peter's Church open for years to come.

There are a couple of reasons that may affect our ability to reclaim that extra money, so please contact us within 21 days if:
You expect to pay less than your Gift Aid value, in UK income and/or Capital Gains Tax in the current year, or your personal details, such as name and address have changed.

If you have not paid enough tax to meet the Gift Aid claimed by St Peter’s and St Paul’s Marlborough Trust and have not notified us of this, HMRC may seek to recover this sum from you directly, as it is your responsibility to pay any difference. You can get in touch with us on contact@stpetersmarlborough.org.uk if you have any questions.

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