Monks of the Theravada tradition live in accordance with the original monastic code, Vinaya. This prohibits monks from both handling or holding personal rights over money. Consequently, the finances of the monastery are stewarded by a charitable body, Harnham Buddhist Monastery Trust (HBMT - see below) - and are managed on a day-to-day basis by the Monastery Management Committee (MC) and the Office Administrator. The Trustees are friends and supporters of the monastery, who serve in this capacity as an expression of their commitment to Dhamma.
The main priority of the Trust is to ensure that the sangha, the monastic community, is sufficiently provided for in the form of a place in which to live and practice. However, the sangha itself also attaches a great deal of importance to helping lay people develop their practice. This includes providing opportunities to stay at the monastery during both formal retreats and individual short-term stays. In order to facilitate these ends the Trust has established a visitor facility, Kusala House.
The Trustees' Annual Report for 2021 (uploaded August 2022)
In 1984 the lay supporters of Aruna Ratanagiri, Harnham Buddhist Monastery, formed a charitable trust, the Magga Bhavaka Trust, as the body owning and managing the material assets of the monastery. In 2008 the Harnham Buddhist Monastery Trust (Registered Charity No. 1126476, Company No. 6688355) was set up to succeed the Magga Bhavaka Trust and became fully operational in 2010. Although constitutionally independent, this trust is closely associated with the trusts for the other Western monasteries of this tradition within the UK.
Meetings are generally held three times a year and are open to whoever wishes to attend. There are seven Directors, lay people with varying backgrounds and experience, representative of different ethnic and geographical groups of supporters. The monastic community at Aruna Ratanagiri is represented by Members who appoint and disappoint the Directors. The current Members are Luang Por Munindo and Ajahn Puñño. Trust meetings operate by consensus and are quorate with the attendance of at least two of the Directors and one of the Members.
The Trustees (Trust Directors) are:
Office Administrator:
(replacing what was earlier called the Management Group)
The Management Committee consists of the Office Administrator and two or three monks or novices. For most of the year they usually hold a formal meeting fortnightly to oversee and organize the daily running of the monastery. They have a list of contacts of volunteers within the extended lay community on who's help they can draw.
Should you need any information or advice about visiting the monastery, or ways of supporting the monastic community through offerings of practical help, food or funds, you can email
(Harnham Buddhist Monastery Trust Secretary) trust.secretary@ratanagiri.org.uk
(Office Administrator) secretary@ratanagiri.org.uk,
(sangha office) sangha@ratanagiri.org.uk
or phone the monastery at 01661 881612. We are interested in receiving your comments or suggestions.
You can also fill out a Harnham Helper's form and send it to us by email or post. We will then get in touch with you.
Current Management Committee Members
Ajahn Punnyo
Samacitto Bhikkhu
Samanera Nibbuto
Penny Wakefield-Pearce (Office Administrator)
The running costs of Harnham Monastery in 2022 were approximately £82,500. (This figure does not include all of HBMT’s expenses such as depreciation of property value and occasional costs such as for publications)
So it has cost around £6,800 per month or £226 per day to maintain the monastery buildings and to support the community of sangha residents and visitors.
The table below is not fully exhaustive, but represents, on a monthly basis, the main costs spent in order to maintain the monastery.
| Running costs | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Utilities | £2177 |
| Household expenses | £430 |
| Office Administration (inc. salary etc.) | £1213 |
| Governance costs (accountant) | £310 |
| Motor | £593 |
| Rent, rates, insurance | £1041 |
| Repairs and maintenance | £1005 |
| Phones and internet | £200 |
| Welfare (dentist, medicine) | £70 |
| Events | £37 |
Some expenses are only incurred when a donation has been made specifically for that purpose (e.g. planting trees at the lake.) Such expenses are not included in the above figures. However, more essential maintenance costs (e.g. repainting of the kitchen) are generally included, even though some of these might be covered by a specific donation.
If you have any queries regarding the running costs of Harnham Monastery, you may contact the monastery's Office Administrator at secretary@ratanagiri.org.uk.