## **Friends of St Mary's Church, Standon** 

## **Financial Statements** 

## **for the year ended 31st December 2024** 

## **Registered Charity Number 1088516** 



The Friends of St Mary's Church, Standon Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2024 L l d Ad i i t ti D t il 

## **Address for correspondance** 

74 High Street Standon Hertfordshire SG11 1LB 

## **Legal Status** 

The charity, whose full name is The Society of The Friends of St Mary's Church, Standon, is a charity registered with the Charity Commission, registration number 1088516. It was formed as an unincorporated association under a constitution adopted on 20 November 2000 and amended on 22 July 2001. 

## **Trustees and Committee Members** 

Mrs D M Dale Chairman (until 24.05.24) Mrs A C Franks Treasurer Ms C F Tarry Secretary Mrs S Beeston Mrs L A Brand (until 31.03.24) Mrs A Brears Ms A Brookbanks Rev J Chitham Ms Alison Cooley Mrs S Crook Mr J Edwards (from 25.04.24) Mr D Goldstraw Mr R Millward (from 24.05.24) 

## **Bankers** 

National Westminster Bank plc 

The CBF Church of England Deposit Fund 

## **Independent Examiner** 

Jane Fowke 

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The Friends of St Mary's Church, Standon Report of the Trustees f th d d 31 t D b 2024 

The trustees are pleased to present their report and  accounts for the year to 31st December 2024. 

## **Objects of the charity** 

The objects of the charity are to assist, including by raising funds, in the conservation and development of the church buildings, fixtures, fittings, contents and churchyard of St Mary's church, Standon; to assist in the maintenance of the churchyard and to encourage and support all that is done to add to the beauty and usefulness of the church. 

The charity fulfils these objects by raising funds to support works commissioned by the PCC. Details of projects funded during the year can be found in the notes to the accounts. 

## **Government** 

The policy and operating decisions of the charity rest with the Trustees, who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the Friends. 

Six of the trustees are appointed by Standon Parochial Church Council, and six are elected at the annual meeting.  The chairman must be a publically elected trustee. 

Diana Dale stood down as Chairman at the AGM. In early 2025, David Goldstraw has taken on the rol 

## **Review of Activities** 

In 2024, once again, our fundraising activities were succesful. 

In January we held our annual, very successful quiz night in the Community Centre, raising £1,544. This year, we discontinued the Mayday salad stall, in the light of increased competition from commercial food outlets. We offered teas, as usual, and also sold home made sweets as well as plants, and promoted  Open Gardens. Mayday raised  £1,664 and Open Gardens in June raised £9,21 Our lunchtime concert series in October was less well attended  than in previous years, raising £523. We have decided to discontinue this event for now. The Advent coffee morning, rebranded as a Christmnas Fair was, once again, very successful, raising £1,075. The hundred club continues to contribute significantly to our fundraising efforts. 

We held another successful tea and talk at Standon Lordship, raising £775, and provided refreshment at the combined choirs Christmas concert in church. 

We are grateful to Pat, who has taken over from Gill the administration of the hundred club, and to Lord and Lady Trenchard, for hosting the tea at the Lordship, as well as all who help with our events or support them. 

In planning our activities, the trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission in December 2008. 

## **Trustees' Responsibilities** 

Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year. 

We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity, and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. 

We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities. 

This report was approved by the trustees on 23rd April 2025 and signed on their behalf by: 

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The Friends of St Mary's Church, Standon Report of the Trustees 

f th d d 31 t D b 2024 David Goldstraw (Chairman) 

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The Friends of St Mary's Church, Standon Report of the Trustees f th d d 31 t D b 2024 

e. 

9. 

ts 

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Friends of St Mary's Church, Standon Receipts and Payments Account 

f th d d 31 t D b 2024 

|**Note**<br>**2024**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**£**<br>**Receipts**<br>Donatons including gif aid tax<br>5<br>3,201<br>Income from fundraising actvites<br>4<br>19,020<br>Bank interest<br>5,928<br>28,149<br>**Payments**<br>Costs of generatng funds<br>4<br>2,279<br>Management and administraton<br>391<br>Grants made<br>2<br>15,637<br>18,307<br>Net receipts<br>9,842<br>Funds at 1st January<br>162,402<br>Funds at 31st December<br>172,244|**Note**<br>**2024**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**£**<br>**Receipts**<br>Donatons including gif aid tax<br>5<br>3,201<br>Income from fundraising actvites<br>4<br>19,020<br>Bank interest<br>5,928<br>28,149<br>**Payments**<br>Costs of generatng funds<br>4<br>2,279<br>Management and administraton<br>391<br>Grants made<br>2<br>15,637<br>18,307<br>Net receipts<br>9,842<br>Funds at 1st January<br>162,402<br>Funds at 31st December<br>172,244|**2023**<br>**£**<br>44,572<br>20,962<br>2,596<br>68,130<br>2,642<br>430<br>15,959<br>19,031<br>49,099<br>113,303<br>162,402|
|---|---|---|
|**Friends of St Mary's Church, Standon**<br>**Statement of Assets and Liabilites**<br>**as at 31st December 2024**<br>**Bank and cash balances**<br>Held at bank<br>**Other assets and liabilites**<br>**Assets**<br>Gif aid tax recovery not yet received|**2024**<br>172,244<br>666|**2023**<br>**£**<br>162,402<br>1,090|



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Friends of St Mary's Church, Standon Notes to the Financial Statements f th d d 31 t D b 2024 

## **1 Accounting Policies** 

The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis with a statement of assets and liabilities. 

## **2 Grants paid** 

During the year, grants were made to Standon PCC  totalling £15,637. Of this, £5,822 was for the tower project, £3,474 to bond the lightening rod and install surge protection and £6,341 for work on the drainage systems. 

## **3 Employees** 

The charity has no employees. 

No amounts were paid or are payable to any trustee or to any person connected to them. Expenses incurred by trustees are reimbursed. 

## 4 **Fundraising Activities** 

These results reflect cash movements only. 

|Fundraising actvites<br>Received<br>Costs<br>Hundred club<br>2,100<br>870<br>Lunchtme concerts<br>682<br>159<br>Christmas fair<br>1,125<br>50<br>Mayday teas, salads & plants<br>1,740<br>76<br>Quiz night<br>2,032<br>488<br>Open Gardens<br>9,649<br>430<br>Levantne cookery evening<br>Safari supper<br>Lordship talk & tea<br>775<br>Sale of cards<br>35<br>Christmas concert refreshments<br>591<br>81<br>Other income<br>51<br>2025 Quiz Night<br>240<br>125<br>19,020<br>2,279<br>**5 Donatons**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>Donatons received<br>2,110<br>Legacy received<br>Gif Aid tax received 2024<br>1,091<br>3,201|Net<br>1,230<br>523<br>1,075<br>1,664<br>1,544<br>9,219<br>0<br>0<br>775<br>35<br>510<br>51<br>115<br>16,741|2023<br>1,150<br>1,526<br>1,367<br>1,878<br>1,406<br>8,627<br>1,000<br>982<br>0<br>138<br>455|
|---|---|---|
|||18,529|
|||9,352<br>32,084<br>3,136|
|||44,572|



Gift aid tax for 2024, to be received in 2025, amounts to £666. 

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