**Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Registered Charity No 1127357** **Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council for the year ended 31[st] December 2021** **Incumbent and PCC Chairman** ## **Revd Katie de Bourcier** **The Rectory Parsonage Street Halstead Essex. CO9 2LD** Bankers: Barclays Bank PLC Independent Examiner: Mrs Charlotte King Halstead Essex ## **Administra*ve Informa*on** The Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Church is part of The Halstead Area Team Ministry. It is situated in the Deanery of Hinckford and is part of the Diocese of Chelmsford within the Church of England. The correspondence address is The Parish Office, Parsonage Street, Halstead Essex CO9 2LD. Our Parish Administrator is Rachael Haylock. Our Website: www.standrewschurchhalstead.org.uk ________________________________________________________________________________ Priest-in-Charge: Revd KaQe de Bourcier (Chair) Associate Minister: Revd Rose Braisby Curate: Revd Jo ParroR Churchwardens: Angela Kerrison. Pauline Tilsley PCC members who have served from 25 April 2021 unQl the date this report was approved are: |Elected members:|Tracy BenneR|Helena Gee| |---|---|---| ||David Hume (Secretary)|Rachel Morris| ||Sue Paisley|Melanie PoRer| ||Anne-Maree Robertson. (DS)|Jen Skingsley| ||Roger Smith|Malcolm Willis (Treasurer)| ||Canon Brian Vidler (Vice Chair) (DS)|| DS- Ex-officio elected to serve on the Deanery Synod from 1[st] December 2020 for three years _______________________________________________________________________________ ## **Electoral Roll and Church A8endance** At our last annual meeQng in April the Electoral Roll stood at 101 with 12 living outside the parish. Average service aRendance at our main services on a Sunday over of the year was about 45 per week. **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page of 2 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** **Rector** ! **s Introduc*on** 2021 has been a very different, someQmes difficult, someQmes upli]ing year. As the second year in which we lived through the global Covid-19 pandemic, nothing felt normal. The year started with Lockdown 3, a lockdown which arguably felt the hardest yet, due to its length and the fact that we could no longer hope for a quick resoluQon to the pandemic. It seemed very fiang that our first service back together again in the church building was on Easter Sunday; it was joyous to celebrate Christ’s resurrecQon together as a statement of faith and hope, but also sad that we sQll were not able to sing together, and had to stay apart and masked. Since then, we have seen Covid-19 guidance go through various stages of relaxaQon, and with an increasing emphasis on personal and organisaQonal responsibility for Covid risk management rather than specific rules from government – a mixed blessing as we tried to work out what was best to do and not do. We have been encouraged by the congregaQon numbers gathering together; the average given above needs to be read in the context of some of our members not feeling able to aRend in person due to health vulnerabiliQes, and also of a number of new people joining the church family too. Having run with an interim service paRern during Covid, a review during summer 2021 led, with some adjustments, to it being established on an ongoing basis: while there is understandably a degree of sadness about moving away from the strongly EucharisQc tradiQon of the church previously, a majority of congregaQon members favoured the “mixed economy” of morning prayer and holy communion on Sundays, and we have seen increased lay involvement in leading services and preaching (including some training as authorised lay preachers) which both builds in sustainability for the future, and emphasises our commitment to enabling all God’s people scope to explore and exercise their gi]s. During this Qme, we have seen Kids’ Church become well established on the first Sunday of each month, and a new evening reflecQve service started on second Sundays. Looking to the future, the service paRern here at St Andrew’s will dovetail with those at St James’, Greenstead Green and St Catherine’s, Gosfield as the three churches work together more closely, and overall we hope that our services will conQnue to be welcoming and to enable people to connect with God and each other in a variety of ways as we seek to grow in faith, mission and service together. We have also been very encouraged by all the new things happening under the auspices of the Gateway Project, but you can read about those later on in the report so I won’t rehearse them here – just to say, this is new and exciQng work for us, and o]en we are learning through experimenQng and being willing to try new things. It has been wonderful to experience God’s leading and faithfulness through this, and the hope is that it won’t be the province of just a few people, but will inspire the church family as a whole in mission and outreach. The demands of this year have meant that many of those in key roles have had to be even more flexible than usual in rising to the challenge of changes and of new ways of working and communicaQng. There are many I could thank, but I would like to take the opportunity parQcularly to record here my graQtude to Rae Haylock, our parish administrator, who has been incredibly adaptable in terms of when and how she works, and what she takes on. Although much of her **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page of 3 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** work is behind the scenes, we couldn’t have got through this period of Qme without her flexible approach. It is also worth noQng that during this Qme, the ministry team for our Halstead Area Team of churches has worked increasingly closely, and this will be ever more important in future as sQpendiary clergy numbers across the diocese conQnue to be reviewed and reduced. It is also a source of strength as we share ideas and resources, and between the ten churches are able to offer much more to our congregaQons and communiQes than any one church could do alone. There are of course a number of projects and acQviQes that have been on hold during Covid, some of which are, as I write in early 2022, being picked up (such as the Mustard Tree Project, looking at changes to our church building) while others are sQll in abeyance (such as Messy Church, for a variety of reasons) and some, having paused, have come to their natural end. I’m mindful that many people during Covid took the opportunity to reflect on prioriQes; it highlighted to many of us how busy we were in the habit of being, and whether through changes to circumstances, or deliberate rebalancing of prioriQes, several key people have stood down from aspects of ministry over this year. This includes Linda Mills stepping back as pastoral assistant and from her role taking services in care homes; Ros Skingsley stepping down from taking school assemblies; and Maureen White and Jan Amos stepping aside from leading the Edward Bear toddler group. I extend my and the PCC’s grateful thanks to them all. At the Qme of wriQng, while Covid is sQll with us, life is starQng to feel a bit more normal. However, while we enjoy the benefits of that, we sQll need to keep caring for the vulnerable amongst us and mindful of the remaining Covid risks and indeed the a]er effects of illness for many. And let us remain thoughiul about what we pick up and what remains laid down, or what new things we should embark on, seeking God’s guidance as we choose our prioriQes as a church that we might serve him well and wholeheartedly, but avoiding the false temptaQon of busyness and acQvity for its own sake. For all the challenges of the past year, and the Qredness and anxiety I think many are sQll living with a]er two years overshadowed by the pandemic, we have much to be thankful for – in our faithful God, our fellowship as a church family, and the hope we have in Jesus for the future, whatever it holds. Revd KaQe de Bourcier ## **PROCEEDINGS OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL 2021** The year covered by this report has not been "normal” for any of us. However the PCC has as usual followed an established paRern of meeQng at approximate intervals of two months. A big difference has been that many, perhaps most, of our meeQngs have been held via ZOOM. It was only towards the end of the year that it was felt reasonable and safe for us to meet in person at St Andrew!s Centre. Despite this significant difference and the challenges thus presented the aRendance at our meeQngs has once again been generally high. There have also been addiQonal, occasional meeQngs of the Standing CommiRee as and when needed and when it was unrealisQc to call a full meeQng of the PCC. Such meeQngs have contributed to the smooth compleQon of the business of the PCC. **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page of 4 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** There have been fewer reports from other church groups for us to consider during the year for the related reason that those groups were also faced with the problems and challenges of meeQng. However such reports as were available have been reported to and considered by the PCC. During the year a wide range of maRers have been raised and discussed. I list below some of the headlines, rather than the detail, which may be found elsewhere in the report or may be discussed at the Annual MeeQng. - Ministry to youth and young people including Junior Church. - ConQnued and ongoing outreach to the wider community parQcularly in the light of new housing in the town. - PCC finances and approval of PCC accounts. - PaRern of Church services - Christmas, Easter and other "special” services. - Planning for future events and review of past events - Future of Stewardship campaigns - Appointment of and authority for Lay Preachers - Parish finances - Safeguarding policy and procedures. - Future of and plans for Parish magazine - Data protecQon implicaQons and review - Church opening hours (Covid related) - ConsideraQon of provision of CCTV - Health and safety incident - Friends of St Andrew!s - Approval of applicaQon for faculQes for necessary work in the Church buildings.. - • Ministry Team updates - Safeguarding David Hume PCC secretary ## **Safeguarding** The PCC conQnues to comply with secQon 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have regard to House of Bishops!#guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults) with an annual review from our Parish Safeguarding Officer Helena Gee. ## **The Gateway Project** This past year has been a big one for Gateway. It has provided us with the opportunity, as we have begun to gather ‘post-covid’ to build relaQonship with those we had reached out to during lockdown. We could write you a book about everything that’s gone on this year but for the sake of brevity and your brains - here are some highlights…. **Soul Food** - as you will be aware Soul Food has been going now for nearly a year. In that year, we have…. - Established contact with 45+ households **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page of 5 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** - Recruited a team of over 12 volunteers - Celebrated 6 months of Soul Food and 1000 two course meal served - Provided level 2 food and hygiene training for many of our volunteers - Established links with the Foodbank, Halstead Community fridge, Fareshare and Neighbourly for our food, - Established contact with local schools for holiday Munch Clubs targeQng those families who are most in need. - Had a short film made about what we do and why we do it – please see www.facebook/ GatewayHalstead In all this, I would like to thank Rachael Simpson, without whom none of this would happen as well as our wonderful team of volunteers. The next year is all about sustainability; in terms of food supply and especially in terms of people to cook. Rachael and Jo sQll put together menus and lead cooks and obviously we are both taking leave in the immediate future and both are on Qme limited contracts. We would love some more people to come on board and to raise up those who are already contribuQng so much. Arthur and Suzie Dodd will be coming on board to greet those who come to us and offer pastoral support and signposQng; we would also like to acknowledge and thank Suzie for all her hard work grant hunQng. Finally, we intend to finally begin our community meal, the original vision for Soul Food, when Jo and Rachael return. **Wonderkids** – last year I reported that ‘Wine and Wipes’ was a small online support group for Mums in lockdown. When we were able to meet in person, that began to meet at 47 Tidings Hill, and within a few months a plan was hatching to conQnue what was Edward Bear as Maureen White stepped down a]er decades of faithful service. Claire Ford and Alison Crawley volunteered to run the group and we opened ‘Wonderkids’ (we preferred ‘liRle wonders’ but were beaten to it by a local group in Sudbury) under the Gateway umbrella in October. Claire and Ali have done the most amazing job and we now have a regular community of families and child-minders; we’re regularly booked up weeks in advance. Thank you, Claire and Ali (and Edward and Ezra, my chief snack samplers!) Thanks too to Jim, who is always there to lend a hand. In the last 6 months, Wonderkids has… - Provided sessions every week (in term Qme) for pre-school children and grownups - Offered a healthy and age appropriate snack for children and a disgusQngly unhealthy and much appreciated snack and hot drink for adults! - Provided crossover from Soul Food in families aRending. - Passed on 3 bapQsms from Wonderkids families - Enjoyed crossover to the allotment with our first Wild Wonderkids in April **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page of 6 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** - Maintained regular contact with over 40 households - Provided pastoral contact for new mums ‘post-Covid’ and grandparents too - Built relaQonship with the community so much so that the community itself is beginning to be involved in running of group **The Gateway Allotment** – iniQally to grow and produce fresh food for Soul Food, our double plot at Fenn Road allotment has grown in vision. It feels like a huge gi] from the Lord. - With parQcularly thanks to Rachael and the council contacts for securing the plot - To Tom ParroR for puang in a lot of the ground work, fencing, maintenance etc - And to Claire Cannon for co-ordinaQng and essenQally single-handedly planQng our first year of crops - In the next year we hope to produce fresh fruit and veg, provide a community space for volunteers to share in the watering, weeding and fellowship such a space can provide - Having used a woodland area cleared by the groundsman Colin a couple of Qmes now, we hope to build a Forest Church community there in the future – again this is slowed by Rev.Jo’s mat leave but the family will be using the space over the summer and tesQng out ideas! **How to Pioneer Course** – a group of 6 of us have been taking the Diocesan ‘How to Pioneer Course’ over the past six months. This has had it’s challenges and it’s joys but has been a good scriptural grounding and discussion point in terms of our direcQon of travel as a project and bonding as a group. **Halloween, Harvest and Christmas** – were just a few of the seasonal occasions when Gateway reached out to the community. As a result…. - Richard de Clare donated all their harvest collecQon to the Foodbank, via Soul Food and the children made cards containing messages of support for those to whom packages are distributed. - On All Hallows Eve at 47 Tidings Hill, the ParroRs and Linda Rooney greeted trick or treaters with sweets, opportunity to warm themselves and roast marshmallows over the fire, chat and play games about ‘Spooky Saints’ matching stories with images of people who throughout history have been faithful to their love for God and His way. - Over the course of an hour and a half, over 70 people came and spent Qme with us. - Our ‘Build your own advent wreath’ tealights were distributed around the town during advent and a]er last years baubles, were welcomed and talked about. The children and staff at Holy Trinity School parQcularly got on board with this. **‘People who pray’ and ‘I’m not religious but…..’** have both provided safe spaces for conversaQon around faith and spirituality and quiet reflecQon and prayer for those who might be exploring faith for the first Qme and/or not be from a ‘churchy’ background. Numbers have been low – max 6 – regulars 3 – but it’s definitely something to think around for the future and feedback from those who have come along has been really posiQve. **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page of 7 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** **Challenges and points for prayer** – as previously menQoned, our biggest challenge going forward is sustainability. We have a large community presence and have built trust in the community also – we’d love to conQnue the work of being an example of Jesus’ love to Halstead – but we need the workers! Our other biggest challenge is a pracQcal one – our oven is not currently fit for purpose and due to the pandemic, the warrantee was up before we discovered this. Problems being that it goes out regularly, the hobs are too small and difficult to control and the oven dramaQcally affects the temp of the hob so that even if no hob’s are on, food on top has been burned. Prayer for the oven or suggesQons indicaQng how we might be able to resolve this issue would be greatly appreciated, as we believe it will put some cooks off joining us. Thank you for taking the Qme to read this and for your prayers and support. Revd Jo ParroR Ps. And that’s the condensed version! ## **Altar Servers** The altar servers were pleased to return to roles supporQng worship at St Andrews. The servers implemented measures to minimise Covid risks. Kevin Metson. Sacristan ## **Edward Bear Club** The PCC noted with sincere graQtude the many years of service provided by Maureen White and ably supported by Jan Amos and others in running the Edward Bear Club. Like many other acQviQes the pandemic brought it to an abrupt halt and the opportunity to formally acknowledge its transiQon. ## **Hinckford Deanery Synod** The year begun with the online commissioning of The Revd Liz Paxton, Rector of the Hedinghams and Upper Colne benefice, as Area Dean in January. Synod met three Qmes during 2021, in April, June and November. Although the maRer was kept under review all meeQngs were eventually held online. Our April meeQng, the first since February 2020, was also the first of the new Triennium of Synod meeQngs. It included the re-elecQon of Canon Brian Vidler as Lay Chair and the re-appointment of Charles Nolda as Deanery Secretary and Ian Cruse as Deanery Treasurer. Clergy Deployment was iniQally introduced in response to the Diocesan finances restructuring exercise, an ongoing topic throughout the year. The elecQon of representaQves to Diocesan Synod took place in June but only Revd KaQe de Bourcier as Clergy representaQve was elected. The deanery does not currently have any lay representaQon. Our June meeQng included topics concerning Racial JusQce and the Church of England Living in Love and Faith project and a presentaQon by The Revd James Gilder on the EcoChurch iniQaQve. **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page of 8 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** In November synod’s main focus was on proposed modernisaQon rule changes governing how deanery synods operated. The diocesan had requested feedback which was duly submiRed. All three meeQngs also received reports from our Deanery Buildings Officer Nick Ellis. The PCC reviews minutes of each Deanery Synod meeQng. Our current representaQves are AnneMaree Robertson and myself although we are enQtled to have three. Canon Brian Vidler ## **The Fabric, Goods and Ornaments of the Church** Due to the Covid pandemic the church remained closed and was hardly used for 18 months or so unQl April 2021. However the Clerestory windows were opened on a regular basis to keep the church aired. In early Spring, Tower Captain David Kerrison advised that the ringing chamber in the bell tower was extremely damp & that the tower clock case had significant condensaQon on the glass. The damp is being caused by a down pipe from the tower roof being parQally blocked and it will be inspected & recQfied if possible. The drainpipe that was stolen from the Nave roof has been urgently replaced with a plasQc one. The intermiRent leak in the Holy Trinity chapel sQll remains and another over the South porch conQnues a]er there has been extreme showers of rain. During the summer and autumn months we had instances of the roof alarm being acQvated at different Qmes of night, and over a period of weeks. It was found that we have had persons aRempQng to steal the lead from the church roof. There are sQll bees in the chancel at a certain Qme of the year but the numbers are diminishing. We have arranged monthly church cleaning over the next year now the church is in far more use. The Quinquennial InspecQon is due to be carried out in June 2022 Angela Kerrison and Pauline Tilsley . Church Wardens ## **St Andrew** ! **s Church Bellringers Halstead.** Sending the Holy Spirit into the hearts of all people. We have a fine ring of eight bells here at St. Andrew!s and an ability to ring a good selecQon of worship hymns on the Ellacombe Ringing Apparatus. We are urgently seeking new and experienced ringers to come forward to join our depleted band, so that we can once again ring the open bells for service on Sunday mornings. We have been pleased to welcome CharloRe and Sammy Buchan who are learning basic bell handling. So, what has happened $up the tower!#over the last year? **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page of 9 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** 1. Open Tower to the public. Saturday November 27[th] 3 hrs. 2. PracQce. ‘Grandsire Triples.’ Ringers from other towns and villages helping. 3. Weekly Friday PracQse. General bell handling and basic method ringing. 4. Ellacombe ringing for Sunday Worship. I believe that $#The Bells!#are an important contribuQon to our worship paRern, and I am saddened when these instruments remain silent. David Kerrison. Tower Captain ## ~~SE~~ **Chairman’s Report** It has been a very quiet year due to the Covid pandemic. We did manage to run two smaller events this year being the Lunch Time Organ recital on 25[th] September by William Jansen and the Quiz held on 23[rd] October again a success considering that we were restricted to six tables. This was followed by the Christmas Tree FesQval from 26[th] to28th November, which was a great success with over 1000 people aRending. The Friends exist to maintain the grade I listed building that is St Andrews. During the last 24 months we have part financed the work necessary for the refurbishment of the bell tower. The future fundraising will be to pay for further restoraQon work required idenQfied in the Quinquennial Report Dated 29[th] June – RestoraQon of the south Isle parapet £12K and selecQve replacement to the parapet string course on the north isle. EsQmated cost £18.5K . In addiQon there were Book and Candle sales by David and Angela throughout the year, and our thanks again to them both. Our sponsors again this year were Daniel Robinson and BirkeR Long LLP and we thank them most sincerely for their conQnued support. Planned events for 2022 Spring Quiz (30[th] April) Midsummer at MartleRs Queens Jubilee – aRendance at Town Event Flower FesQval Colne Philharmonic 1[st] Oct Autuumn Quiz Christmas Tree FesQval We have a web Page so please visit us on www.friendsofstandrewshalstead.co.uk Please have a look – it includes old newsleRers and details of future events. Roger Smith Chair **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page 10 of 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** **FINANCIAL OVERVIEW (2021)** ## **General Fund.** The Coronovirus pandemic, for the second successive year, had a significant negaQve impact on the parish's finances as although generated receipts were up by more than £3,500 compared with 2020 they were down by around £18,700 when compared with 2019, the previous 'normal' (pre pandemic) year. Payments were well controlled showing an increase of just over £1,000 compared to 2020 excluding the cost of the Gateway Project. Grants totalling more than £26,600, largely from dwindling historic reserves, were transferred in to cover the gap between receipts and payments. The accounts this year, for the first Qme, include the financials relaQng to the Gateway Project which, over Qme, should be close to cost neutral for the parish. The PCC!s General Fund for 2021 show total receipts of £88,134 net of the Gateway Project (£82,659 in 2020) and this includes £26,631 transferred in or donated from reserve or Trust Funds to bridge the gap between receipts and payments .The main areas where receipts have fallen (v 2019) were largely receipts from St Andrews Centre (down £9,465), fund raising (down £3,193), fees (down £2,619) and collecQons down (£2,841). The total day to day costs of running the parish amounted to £85,472 (£84,420 in 2020) with net spend a]er deducQon of third party fees at £79,525 (£80,428) with the largest items being the Parish Share at £48,714 (£48,023) and the costs of running and maintaining SA Centre at £9,588 (£11,682). Overall payments, a]er adjusQng for Diocesan and clergy fees, decreased by £903 (- 1.1%) compared to 2020 with the 1.4% increase in the Parish Share being offset by reduced spending in other areas. The net result for the year was an excess of receipts over payments on the current account of £1,519 leaving an increased balance of £4,576 to be carried over into 2022. ## **Fabric Fund (restricted fund)** Receipts for the year totalled £7,435 largely due to a very welcome donaQon of £7,400 from the Friends of St Andrews to cover the costs of refurbishing the bell frame in 2020. The balance held in the Fabric Fund comprises of various legacies and is reserved for building works or special projects. ## **Other comments** It is the PCC!s policy to invest its cash reserves, in excess of those required to maintain a reasonable cash flow, with the CBF of the Church of England. The PCC produces an annual financial budget and in 2022 it is esQmated that there will be a gap between generated receipts and payments of around £20,000. Responding to this situaQon and seang a financial plan for the next 5 years must be a key focus for the PCC and the parish during the coming year. **Malcolm R R Willis Parish Treasurer** **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page 11 of 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** **Independent examiner** ! **s report to the PCC of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead** I report on the accounts of the St Andrew Halstead PCC for the year ended 31 December 2021 and which are set out on the aRached pages. ## **Respec*ve responsibili*es of the PCC and the examiner** The charity!s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under secQon 144(2) of the ChariQes Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an Independent ExaminaQon is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under secQon 145 of the 2011 Act - follow the procedures laid down in the General DirecQons given by the Charity Commissioners secQon 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and - state whether parQcular maRers have come to my aRenQon ## **Basis of Independent Examiners Statement** My examinaQon was carried out in accordance with the General DirecQons given by the Charity Commission. An examinaQon includes a review of the accounQng records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes consideraQon of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanaQons from the management commiRee concerning any such maRers. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in a full audit, and consequently I do not express an opinion on the accounts. ## **Independent examiner** ! **s statement** In connecQon with my examinaQon, no maRer has come to my aRenQon: - (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: - to keep accounQng records in accordance with s 130 of the 2011 Act; or - to prepare accounts, which accord with these accounQng records have not been met; or - (2) to which, in my opinion, aRenQon should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. (Signed) CharloRe King Independent Examiner February 2022 **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page 12 of 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page 13 of 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page 14 of 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page 15 of 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021** **Parish of St Andrew with Holy Trinity Halstead Page 16 of 16 PCC Annual Report and Accounts for 2021**