Trust Funds Held In Connexion With West Hagley Free Church
Charity 251436
Overview
Summary
The available evidence suggests that Trust Funds Held In Connexion With West Hagley Free Church is primarily an asset-holding and resourcing body for Hagley Free Church, supporting worship, ministry and the upkeep of a physical church site. Its stated activities indicate a broader community-facing role than worship alone, with facilities, advice, people and grants potentially deployed for multiple age groups and other voluntary organisations. However, the evidence does not yet show how extensively these wider functions operate in practice.
Operational geography
Coverage: Neighbourhood
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- No current evidence identifies a service, physical site, or delivery programme operated by the charity within any of the supplied Birmingham wards or City Centre.
- The church supports a number of charities, including organisations with potentially wider West Midlands or national reach, but the available evidence does not show that these are operational partnerships through which Hagley Free Church itself delivers services in Birmingham.
- The website describes outreach 'at home and abroad', but does not specify locations or establish a regular operational presence beyond Hagley.
Additional evidence needed
- Current annual report or trustees' report identifying the geographic locations of any grants, outreach activity, or jointly delivered projects.
- Current programme, venue-booking, or partnership information demonstrating any regular services delivered in Birmingham.
- Confirmation from the charity of whether it operates, funds, or regularly delivers activities at any Birmingham location.
Areas of work
- Religious Activities
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
- People With Disabilities
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Human Resources
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A church-support charity built around stewardship of place
The organisation appears to operate chiefly by sustaining the church’s buildings, premises and ministry, rather than solely by delivering a single programme or service.
Why it matters
This helps explain its likely role as long-term infrastructure for local religious and community activity: its assets may be as important as its direct activities.
Show evidence
“Its objects include defraying church expenses and repairing, enlarging, altering or improving church buildings and premises.”
Source:Charity Commission“Its objects include paying for the support of the ministry and maintaining divine worship on the premises.”
Source:Charity Commission
Potentially more than a worship venue
The organisation may function as a local platform for activity beyond services, using its premises and people to engage different age groups and possibly support other voluntary bodies.
Why it matters
It points to potential connections with community groups, accessibility needs and local voluntary-sector activity that would be missed if the organisation were understood only as a congregation.
Show evidence
“The website refers to weekly activities, special events and services, and hall bookings.”
Source:Organisation“It says it helps children and young people, elderly people, people with disabilities, other charities or voluntary bodies, and the general public.”
Source:Charity Commission“It reports providing buildings, facilities or open space, human resources, services, advocacy or advice or information, and grants to organisations.”
Source:Charity Commission
An unusually broad declared support model
The combination of grants, facilities, people and advice suggests the charity may have several ways of contributing to local civic life, rather than relying only on congregational participation.
Why it matters
This raises a useful question about whether its greatest local value lies in convening, hosting or enabling other organisations as well as delivering its own religious activity.
Show evidence
“It reports making grants to organisations.”
Source:Charity Commission“It reports providing human resources, buildings or facilities, services, and advocacy or advice or information.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Which weekly activities and events are open to the wider public, and who participates in them.
- Whether grants, advice and support for other voluntary bodies are active current practices or broad charitable classifications.
- How the church premises are shared with external organisations and community groups.
Remaining uncertainties
- A current programme of activities, hall users and external partnerships.
- Annual reports or accounts showing expenditure on buildings, ministry, grants and community services.
- Information on beneficiaries, attendance, accessibility and the outcomes of its wider activities.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Interdenominanational Christian Church catering for all age groups
Charity objects
(A) TO DEFRAY EXPENSES OF THE CHURCH AND IN REPAIR, ENLARGEMENT, ALTERATION, OR IMPROVEMENT OF THE CHURCH BUILDINGS AND PREMISES. (B) TO PAY FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH. (C) FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF DIVINE WORSHIP ON THE PREMISES. (D) FOR SUCH OTHER PURPOSES AS THE CHURCH MEMBERS MAY DIRECT.