St Lazar'S Hall
Charity 701640
Overview
Summary
St Lazar'S Hall appears to be a place-based charitable asset serving the Serbian Orthodox Church community in England, rather than an independent provider of a broad range of services. Its principal role seems to be maintaining a hall that enables worship-related, educational and wider charitable activity around St Lazar's Church. The governing objects also suggest an organisation that combines local congregation support with a potential, though discretionary, connection to Serbian Orthodox charitable purposes beyond its immediate setting.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Bournville and Cotteridge
Confidence: high
Current church information identifies St Lazar's Hall in Bournville and describes it as a venue for community groups, classes, meetings, rehearsals and small events. Birmingham City Council planning records place the associated St Lazar site in the Bournville & Cotteridge ward.
- Charity Commission Register, ST LAZAR'S HALL (charity 701640)
Lists the charity's address in Birmingham; its stated activity is support of St Lazar's Church and its charitable objects include operating a church hall. - Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Prince Lazar (Lazarica) official website
Lists Saint Lazar's Hall in Bournville, Birmingham and states that the hall is available for small events, community groups, classes, meetings and rehearsals. - Birmingham City Council Planning Online, application 22562004
Records the St Lazar site in Bournville and identifies its ward as Bournville & Cotteridge.
Remaining uncertainties
- The available current evidence supports operation from one Bournville site, but does not establish that the hall delivers regular services at any other Birmingham location.
- The Lazarica website represents the associated church and hall rather than explicitly naming charity 701640 as the website operator. The shared location, the hall's name and the charity's objects make the connection strong, but the charities' precise operational responsibilities are not fully set out publicly.
- There is no evidence of a material partnership that extends St Lazar's Hall's operational geography beyond its Bournville site.
- The conclusion that the footprint is neighbourhood-based is a reasonable interpretation of the single-site evidence, not evidence that all users or congregants live locally.
Additional evidence needed
- The latest trustees' annual report or accounts for charity 701640, particularly any narrative describing hall bookings, regular activities, outreach or locations used.
- A current hall programme, booking calendar or service directory identifying recurring users and whether activities are delivered away from the Bournville site.
- Confirmation from the charity or associated church of whether any other venues, satellite activities or formal delivery partnerships are currently operated.
Areas of work
- Religious Activities
Who they help
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A supporting institution built around a physical civic asset
The organisation appears to operate primarily by providing and sustaining a hall, using a physical space to support church-led religious and charitable activity rather than delivering named programmes itself.
Why it matters
This suggests its influence may be indirect but important: the hall could be shared infrastructure through which worship, gathering, education and community activity become possible.
Show evidence
“Support of St Lazars Church”
Source:Organisation“Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space”
Source:Charity Commission“As a church hall for furthering the religious and other charitable work of the Servian Orthodox Church”
Source:Charity Commission
A locally rooted organisation with a wider church remit
Its core purpose appears focused on a Serbian Orthodox congregation in England, while its objects allow trustees to support related charitable purposes in England or abroad. This may create a bridge between a local congregation and a transnational religious community.
Why it matters
The distinction matters because the organisation may hold relationships, knowledge or resources relevant beyond its immediate locality, even if current activity is concentrated on St Lazar's Church.
Show evidence
“For advancing the education of the said congregation of the Serbian Orthodox Church in England permanently residing in and being citizens of the United Kingdom”
Source:Charity Commission“For such other charitable purposes in connection with the Serbian Orthodox Church generally whether in England or abroad as the trustees may in their absolute discretion think fit”
Source:Charity Commission
Governance autonomy is an unusually explicit feature
The charity's constitution appears designed to preserve trustee control over material and financial matters while remaining aligned with church authority in spiritual matters. This may indicate a deliberate separation between religious affiliation and operational governance.
Why it matters
This helps explain how the organisation may make decisions: it is church-connected, but not necessarily financially directed by church authorities. That distinction could shape partnerships, asset decisions and accountability.
Show evidence
“The trustees shall not (save in purely spiritual matters as distinct from material or financial matters) in any way be subject to the control of the authorities of the Servian Orthodox Church”
Source:Charity Commission
- It is unclear who uses the hall in practice, beyond its connection to St Lazar's Church.
- There is no evidence of educational activity, community access, partnerships or support delivered outside the congregation.
- It is unknown whether the discretionary England-and-abroad remit has been used.
Remaining uncertainties
- Information on hall users, bookings, activities and whether facilities are available to other community groups.
- Recent trustee reports, accounts or annual reports showing expenditure, partnerships and beneficiary reach.
- Evidence of educational, overseas or wider charitable work undertaken under the organisation's objects.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Support of St Lazars Church
Charity objects
(A) FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SERBICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH PROVIDED THAT THE TRUSTEES SHALL NOT (SAVE IN PURELY SPIRITUAL MATTERS AS DISTINCT FROM MATERIAL OR FINANCIAL MATTERS IN ANY WAY BE SUBJECT TO THE CONTROL OF THE AUTHORITIES OF THE SERVIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH; (B) FOR ADVANCING THE EDUCATION OF THE SAID CONGREGATION OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN ENGLAND PERMANENTLY RESIDING IN AND BEING CITIZENS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM; (C) AS A CHURCH HALL FOR FURTHERING THE RELIGIOUS AND OTHER CHARITABLE WORK OF THE SERVIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH; (D) FOR SUCH OTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH GENERALLY WHETHER IN ENGLAND OF ABROAD AS THE TRUSTEES MAY IN THEIR ABSOLUTE DISCRETION THINK F.