Selly Park Baptist Church Manse
Charity 516796
Overview
Summary
Selly Park Baptist Church Manse appears to be a narrowly focused property-holding charity that supports the continuity of Selly Park Baptist Church’s ministry by maintaining the minister’s residence. Its civic role is therefore indirect but potentially foundational: rather than delivering public-facing services itself, it provides an operational asset to another voluntary body. The available evidence suggests a deliberately limited remit centred on stewardship of accommodation rather than broader housing provision or congregational activity.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Bournbrook and Selly Park
Confidence: medium
Direct evidence shows that the charity exists to provide and maintain accommodation for the minister of Selly Park Baptist Church. Birmingham City Council identifies Selly Park Baptist Church as a venue in the Bournbrook & Selly Park ward. This reasonably indicates a single, locally focused operational relationship with the church and its minister, rather than delivery across Birmingham. However, the Charity Commission record does not confirm the location of the accommodation, so its precise location remains uncertain.
- Charity Commission Register of Charities, Selly Park Baptist Church Manse (charity 516796)
The charity reports that its activity is the provision and maintenance of accommodation for the minister of Selly Park Baptist Church; its charitable object is to permit premises to be occupied as the minister's manse or residence. - Birmingham City Council, Bournbrook & Selly Park ward meeting poster
The council identifies Selly Park Baptist Church as a venue in the Bournbrook & Selly Park ward.
Remaining uncertainties
- The Charity Commission record confirms that the charity owns and/or leases land or property, but does not identify the location of the manse. Its recorded contact address may be a church or correspondence address rather than the minister's residence.
- The Charity Commission categorises the charity as operating in Birmingham City, but its stated activity concerns one ministerial residence. This is not sufficient evidence of citywide service delivery.
- No current evidence identifies additional sites, service locations, or partnerships through which this separate manse charity operates.
Additional evidence needed
- A current annual return, trustee report, property record, or official statement confirming the broader geographic area of the manse property.
- An official statement from Selly Park Baptist Church or the manse charity clarifying whether the charity has any functions beyond maintaining accommodation for the church minister.
- Evidence of any current formal partnership or shared-property arrangement that materially extends the charity's operational geography.
Areas of work
- Accommodation/housing
- Religious Activities
Who they help
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
How they help
- Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
An enabling charity rather than a frontline provider
The charity appears to support the church’s work through infrastructure: providing a residence for its minister, rather than directly running services for a wider beneficiary group.
Why it matters
This clarifies that its significance may lie in sustaining another organisation’s capacity and leadership, which can be easy to overlook when mapping civic activity only through public-facing programmes.
Show evidence
“TO PERMIT THE SAID PREMISES TO BE USED AND OCCUPIED AS A MANSE OR PLACE OF RESIDENCE FOR THE MINISTER FOR THE TIME BEING OF THE AFORESAID CHURCH.”
Source:Charity Commission“PROVISION AND MAINTENANCE OF ACCOMODATION FOR MINISTER OF SELLY PARK BAPTIST CHURCH”
Source:Organisation
Its operating model is asset-based and highly specialised
The organisation appears to be structured around stewardship of one type of asset—ministerial accommodation—with a tightly bounded purpose rather than a flexible programme of activities.
Why it matters
A specialised property role may make the charity stable and clear in purpose, but may also mean its contribution depends heavily on the continuing needs and institutional health of Selly Park Baptist Church.
Show evidence
“TO PERMIT THE SAID PREMISES TO BE USED AND OCCUPIED AS A MANSE OR PLACE OF RESIDENCE FOR THE MINISTER FOR THE TIME BEING OF THE AFORESAID CHURCH.”
Source:Charity Commission“Accommodation/housing, Religious Activities”
Source:Organisation
The stated beneficiary framing suggests institutional support
Although the manse is occupied by an individual minister, the charity identifies other charities or voluntary bodies as those it helps, suggesting it understands its primary beneficiary as the church organisation rather than the resident alone.
Why it matters
This distinction helps identify the organisation as part of the support infrastructure around a voluntary body, and raises useful questions about how property governance aligns with the church’s wider mission.
Show evidence
“Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies”
Source:Organisation“Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body”
Source:Organisation
- Whether the charity owns, leases or otherwise controls the manse.
- How the charity is governed and how it relates legally and operationally to Selly Park Baptist Church.
- Whether the property has any use beyond housing the current minister.
Remaining uncertainties
- Trustee annual reports and accounts, including property, income and expenditure details.
- Information on governance, ownership arrangements and the church’s relationship with the charity.
- Evidence of the manse’s condition, occupancy history and any wider community use.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
PROVISION AND MAINTENANCE OF ACCOMODATION FOR MINISTER OF SELLY PARK BAPTIST CHURCH
Charity objects
TO PERMIT THE SAID PREMISES TO BE USED AND OCCUPIED AS A MANSE OR PLACE OF RESIDENCE FOR THE MINISTER FOR THE TIME BEING OF THE AFORESAID CHURCH.