THE FRIENDS OF ST. EDMUND (K & M), TENDRING
Annual General Meeting
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Friday 5[th] April 20243 at 7.30 p.m.
Held in the village hall.
The membership of the Friends now stands at thirty, with Sarah and Johnny Gough joining during the year; welcome to you both.
It has been good to see Friends actively involved in maintaining the church. The doors and gates have been decorated by new member, John Parry while he and Neil Beadle have each taken on cutting areas of grass and Peter Burchell now cleans the brass work. Others are involved with administering the Friends.
Marilyn organised our first event for several years with her ‘Cheese & Wine’ evening in August. Apart from being a fund raising activity its purpose was to make more people aware of FOSET’s existence. Here it didn’t succeed too well because only the regular members attended. In future, it would more justify her efforts, if we invited potential new members to join us for the evening.
The PCC had its Quinquennial Inspection during 2023 which brought to light several defects. These are being tackled, mainly in house, but when particular skills are necessary, big expenses are involved. The 1876 tower needed re-pointing by a steeplejack to which the Friends contributed £2,000 towards the £8,000 cost. The spire will need similar work in 2024, for which a quotation is pending. The Friends had earlier contributed £500 towards the c.£7,000 cost of installing chancel under pew heating. This revealed rotten support timbers which involved pew removal for repair. The friends also gave £2,000 towards the first phase of quinquennial work and another £2,000 has been approved for the 2024 phase.
Dentistry repair to external stonework may be necessary on the south aisle buttresses.
The fabric of the building is fundamentally in very good condition but regular, preventative maintenance is necessary. It was Reg. Barton’s foresight, in this direction, that drove him to establish The Friends and for whom he removed most of its financial worries, for now.
For those not involved on committees I would say that the parish now has a second priest in charge, John Saxon, who has time to be involved with St Edmund and the immediate parishes. However, with very few members on the PCC it is only possible conduct one Sunday service each month and which is arranged by Anne Cosby.
The current area that is being used for burials, on the south side of the church, is nearly complete and a faculty has been granted, in anticipation of this, for burials to continue on the north side of the church. This will start at the east end to avoid complications with underground services and drainage.
I reported last year on the interesting discoveries I had made while researching the building but involvement with the quinquennial work has prevented me from progressing this and, more importantly, recording it.
Finally, at the last two AGMs I said that I would step down as chairman of the Friends but so far have not, so, unless a new chairman is elected at this AGM, I would like to indelibly confirm this intention and so will not be standing for reelection as chairman in 2025. I will remain with the Friends in some capacity and pursue my interest in the building.
It has been my aim to ensure that our Objects, as laid out in the Constitution, are adhered to and that a broad spectrum of people can be encouraged to appreciate all aspects of the building and its antiquity and become involved in ensuring that it survives well into the future.
David F Grayston.
Chairman 5[th] April 2024
The Friends of St Edmund (K&M) Tendring (FOSET)
Registered Charity No.1064018
Financial Year 2023
Income and Expenditure at 31 December 2023
| 2022 | 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | 379,705 |
Opening Balance of Funds | £ | 331,124 |
| Income | ||||
| -£ | 48,781 |
Clayens Funds | £ | 37,145 |
| £ | 700 |
Donations/Subscriptions | £ | 775 |
| £ | - |
Reclaimed Gift Aid Tax | £ | 452 |
| -£ | 48,081 |
£ | 38,371 |
|
| Expenditure | ||||
| £ | 500 |
Buildings, maintenance, misc | £ | 2,051 |
| £ | 500 |
£ | 2,051 |
|
| -£ | 48,581 |
Excess of Income over Expenditure | £ | 36,320 |
| £ | 331,124 |
Closing Balance of Funds | £ | 367,444 |
| Represented by | ||||
| £ | 6,406 |
NatWest Business Current Account | £ | 5,582 |
| £ | 324,718 |
Claydens Funds | £ | 361,863 |
| £ | 331,124 |
£ | 367,444 |
Account prepared by Hon Treasurer Mr G.Gooch and examined by Mr John Fitzgerald
FO
The Friends of St Edmund (K&M) Tendring (The Charity)
Charity No.1064018
Financial Year 2023
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the Charity
The Examiner reports on the accounts of the Charity for the financial year ending 31 December 2023 as set out in the attached.
Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and the Examiner.
The Trustees consider that an audit of the accounts is not required for this financial year under section 144(2) of the Charity’s Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) but instead that an independent examination is needed. The Examiner named below has been appointed by the Trustees to undertake the Examination.
- It is the Examiner’s responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act; - follow procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commissioners section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
Basis of the Examiner’s Statement.
The examination of the accounts has been carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by The Charity Commission. The examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in a full audit and consequently the Examiner does not express and opinion on the accounts.
Examiner’s Statement.
In connection with the examination no matter has come to the Examiner's attention:
-
Which gives the Examiner reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements;
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with s.130 of the 2011 Act; or
-
- to prepare accounts, which accord with these accounting records have not been met; or 2. To which, in the Examiner’s opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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