The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Axminster Incorporating Holy Cr0$5 Church, Woodbury Lane Registered Charity No: 1127655 Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Coun¢il forthe year ended 31" December 2024 Rector.. Interregnum from January- November Reverend Lei5a Potter licensed November 20th 2024 Bankers: CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue King5 Hill, West Mallin& Kent ME19 4JQ Independent Examiner: Wayne Cook
The Parochial Church Council of St. Mary the Virgin, Axminster Annual Report for the year ended 31" December 2024 Aim and Purpose St. Mary the Virgin's Parochial Church Council (the PCCI incorporating Holy Cross Church, Woodbury. has the responsibility of supporting the ecclesiastical parish, the mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelical, social, and ecumenical. The PCC is responsible for the buildings in the Parish although Holy Cross has its own committee with delegated powers for both the buildings and the day to day running of this church. The Minster is a graée Il* Listed Building, and the PCC is also responsible for the Church Room situated between the church and the Rectory. Objectives and Activitie5 The PCC 15 committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our churches, and to be part of the parish family. When planning our activities. the PCC has considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit, and the Specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer, Scripture, music, and the sacrament. We try to enable people to live out their faith as part of our parish family through.. Worship and prayer: Learning about the Gospel and developing knowledge and trust in Jesus. The provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish. Mission and outreach work. Maintenance of the fabric of both the church and the church room are essential to deliver our aim5 and objectives. Achievements and Performance Worshi and ra er 2024 has been a further challenging year for the PCC. Following the retirement of the last Rector in August 2023 we entered 2024 in interregnum, although we ended the year on a high with the Licensing of our new Rector Reverend Leisa Potter on November 20, 2024. We were also very pleased to have had invaluable support from Reverend Mike Clark an Interim Tran51tion Support Minister, who works within the Diocese of Exeter but was allocated to the Parish of Axminster during the interregnum. During 2024 we were also fortunate to have the Archdeacon of Exeter leading a service in the Minster monthly. There has been a further reduction of regular attendees at the Minster although since the arrival of Rev Leisa Potter we have seen an upturn which we hope to maintain. Axrninster is a growing town. and new families will now be encouraged to participate in the Minster activities, whereas over the last six years there has been a trend for them to drift to the Baptist Church in Kilmington. It was really encouraging to record 137 people, 49 children and 88 adults, at the Christingle service, unlike last year where there were only 12 people in total.
During 2024 congregational numbers averaged 26. Despite this the Minster has remained financially secure thanks to a limited number who are exceptionally generous and want to see the church flourish in Axminster. Services at the Minster comprise a 10.30arn Sunday service and a weekly Holy Communion service on Tuesdays at 10am. The second Sundayeach month is a Moming Worship service and on the other weeks it is Holy Communion. An 8am Holy Communion service is held once a month. The new Rector will review the service pattern in due course. During the year seven Baptisms. and sixteen funerals were held in the Minster. No weddings took place. The Minster electoral roll stood at 56 IHoly Cross 361 with the PCC total 92. The provision of the weekly news sheet, 'Pews News., continued as the vehicle of communication across the Axe Valley Mission Community IAVMCI. The Team Vicar provides oversight on this publication. and it is produced and circulated by the AVMC Administrator. A fortnightly Bible Study group continued to meet in the Church Rooms. It is good to see a focus on study and understanding of scripture. The Remembrance Sunday service led by the Royal British Legion beside the War Memorial on the Minster Green was 35 ever well attended and a tribute to the fallen and all who serve. Pastoral Care Mission and Evan elism We now have an Anna Chaplain within the AVMC who worships at Holy Cross. She coordinates a team of seven Anna Friends and seven Ecumenical members. They visit five care homes within the AVMC area and Shire House in Lyme Regis to lead a monthly service. The service is usually Holy Communion. They organised Carol Services in the care homes in the run up to Christmas. There are 12 - 18 people visited regularly in their own homes,. with some they share home communion. The team meets every three rnonths and whilst Axminster Churches Together is not active at present, they are maintaining links. For many years. the Minster has been a hub of musical activity in the aa and 2024 wa5 no exception to this. We were delighted to be able to provide a venue for music in all sorts of genres. The Parish is extremely fortunate to have the services of two professional organist5 who have continued to provide music of a high quality at services and at the many Occasional Offices which take place throughout the year. They are ably assisted by other musicians from time to time. Whilst the Minster no longer has an official choir. singers from the town and wider Mission Community come together from time to time to Support services on special occasions. The service of welcome for Rev'd Leisa Potter in Novernber 2024 was an example of this, when we were able to field a choir of over thirty to lead the singing of a large and appreciative congregation. Thursday lunchtime concerts, running for six months of the year from May to September. continue to be a fixture in the life of the town. In 2024 we were able to offer a wide variety of concerts once again, and our grateful thanks go to all our performers who offer their time 2nd skill for free in sUPPOrt of the upkeep of the church building. Numbers attending these concerts have not yet returned to their pre-pandemic levels, and a review of the publicity will be undertaken. Nevertheless, total attendance of over 1,500 was recorded during the series.
Two local choirs use the Minster for weekly rehearsals and termly concerts. The Axe Valley Community Choir, Axe Valley Orchestra ané Axe Valley Academy have also used the Minster for rehearsals and concerts during the year. The organ is often used for teaching by the South Wessex Organ Society. The Minster host5 several one-off musical events throughout the year, be these concerts Isuch as that given by professior)al pianist Stephen Beville in December 20241 or activities such as the regular Gregorian Chant workshops. There are 10 bells within the Minster Tower all in good working order. Sadly during 2024 our Tower Captain had to stand down due to work and family commitments. We also lost some of our younger bell ringers. Two ringers have now taken over leading the group and they will be looking to get back to a full ringing schedule in due course. Using ringer5 from other churches we were able to ring the Advent Peal on the first Sunday of December. Volunteers Volunteers remain critical to life in the Minster. Finding new volunteers will be a key focus for our new Rector. Deanery Synod Deanery Synod met three times in 2024. Jean Ray and Nicola Russell were the PCC Deanery Synod Reps. Church Fabrlc Following the restoration, conservation and stabi115ation of wall paintings on the Chancel Arch in 2023, th the conservation expert gave a lecture on the process in 2024. The 15 century painting with the pomegranate design is unique for an English medieval wall painting and the silhouette of the rood is also extremely rare and the only one known to exist in the southwest of England. The revealing of the artwork has provided a definite point of interest for visitors and a small information leaflet has been developed. Work on the stained-glas5 windows progressed through 2024 and the majority were completed. A5 well as checking the glass and the lead work the stone frames were checked and mesh grills applied to prevent damage from the outside. After many delays work on the new servery and toilets was started in December 2024. It is hoped this will be completed by June 2025. Safeguarding Report As a PCC we remain committed to the safeguarding policies agreed within the Diocese of Exeter. We have a Safeguarding Dashboard on which all training and safeguarding requirements are logged, and the Minster has a Safeguarding Lead who 15 the first port of call and link to the Diocese. During 2024 there were no reported incidents of a safeguarding nature. Structure, Governance and Management The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. The council comprises the Incumbent, the Churchwardens, a representative of the Readers, those elected to the Deanery Synod, and other members who are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meetin& by those
on the Electoral Roll including representatives of Holy Cross. Members of the congregation are encouraged to join the Electoral Roll and to stand for election to the PCC. The PCC members are responsible for making the decisions on all matters of general concern and importance in the parish, and for all financial matters. The full PCC met six times during the year.
Holy Cross Church Aim and Purpose Holy Cross is situated in Woodbury Lane. on the southern edge of Axminster. Whilst within the Parish of Axminster, Holy Cross has its own Committee with delegated powers for the building and day to day running of the church. Three Holy Cross representatives slt on the Axminster PCC. Holy Cross has a "gathered congregation" from the outskirts of Axminster and surrounding villages including Raymonds Hill, Charmouth and Lyme Re81S. Objectives and Activltles In line with the objectives set by the PCC we try to enable people to live out their faith as part of our parish family through: Worship and prayer.. Learning about the Gospel and developing knowledge and trust in Jesus. The provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish. Mission and outreach work. Achievements and Performance Worshi and Pra Holy Cross held 48 weekly services in 2024 with an average of 26 attendees. The numbers attending have increased by 8% in comparison with 2023. er We have continued with our service pattern of a lay led Morning Worship for one week each month, with Holy Communion on the other weeks. Research with the congregation shows that Holy Communion remains the favoured service but attendance at Morning Worship is at a similar level as our communion services. Evensong did not take place in 2024, but it is hoped that it might be reintroduced occasionally in 2025. During 2024 Holy Cross held one Baptism and one funeral. The 8ible Study group has continued fortnightly during 2024 with an active group of nine people. Holy Cross Headlines, our email group has grown again and keeps everyone in touch with our own news a5 well as AVMC events. Pastoral care Mission and Evan elism We are fortunate to have the sole AVMC Anna Chaplain in our congregation and she is very diligent at ensuring that any members of our corigregation are offered home communion if they are unable to attend church. In addition, people who are unable to attend church are part of our Holy Cross community via Holy Cross Headline5. Those not using computer5 are spoken to by phone and taken Pews News and other key items of information.
In July 2024 Holy Cross held a very successful "Pimms and Hymns" afternoon. We advertised locally and people who do not normally attend church joined us for the afternoon. This event brought in funds for the church and may lead to new people joining our congregation. In December we purchased copies of the "Follow the Star- Calm and Brighy, booklet. for Holy Cross congregants including those not able to attend church. These were sent to everyone with a letter from our Minister and the two Chapel Wardens. The booklets provided reflections for the 12 days of Christmas. In December we held our Carol service which was also attended by people who do not regularly attend church. We followed this with mulled wine and mince pies in Woodbury Hall. 65 people attended. Church Fabric We are committed to following green policies where possible and during 2024 we upgraded our Eco Award from AROCHA from bronze to silver. A working party was organised at the start of 2024 to tidy up the land behind the church and remove old buildings that are no longer in use. Holy Cross Mlssion Artion Plan A Mission Action Plan IMAP) was developed for the AVMC during 2023 incorporating the plans for all eight churches. The Holy Cross MAP is reviewed at each Committee meeting to assess progress. It is updated regularly. and new items will be included in 2025. Safeguarding There were no reported incidents of a safeguarding nature in 2024.
Financial Review 2024 The Minster The Minster received £138,653 in general income, which is slightly higher than in 2023. £102.288174%1 of this income came from extremely generous major donors. £22,638116%1 related to setvices, £5,47814%1 frorn fundraising and £8,24916%1 from other activities. General expenditure was £58,632 including £26,791 common fund, and £4,608 expenses to the AVMC. The surplus for the year was £80,021 and with a brought forward balance from last year of £89,375 the balance on Eeneral funds is £174,348. This has accumulated over many year5 and will be used to fund the reordering project which has just begun. Restricted income was £17,529 including £15,945 in very generous donations from the whole community and the Town Council, for the tower clock repair5. Restricted expenditure was £40,394 including £7,231 deposit for clock repairs, £24,445 reordering project and £8,718 on other equipment and maintenance. Designated income was £8,257, mainly VAT reclaimed from the listed places of worship scheme and £1,832 raised for the church rooms. Designated expenditure was £38,385 including £30,684 on the stained glass window repairs, and £5,611 upgrade to CCTV. The total bank balances stand at £187.327. Holy Cro55 General income at £22,337 covered the annual running costs of £20.556. Costs included £12,429 as our share of the Axminster Parish Common Fund, £1,764 to the AVMC central fund and £650 donated to relief charities. General funds show a positive balance for the year of £1,781, with £8,609 brought forward from last year and a £12,000) transfer from general to designated funds, we end the year with £8,515 in general funds. £822 in restricted funds and £7,000 in designated funds,. giving a total of £16,337. The designated funds will be Spent in January 2025 on redecorating the interior of the church. Ongoing we have 13 standing orders generating £915 per month and our average weekly cash collection is currently £80. We are able to claim gift aid or GASDS on 95% of our income. Reserves Policy The PCC has resolved to maintain a balance on General lunrestrictedl Funds for The Minster Church which equates to at least three months, unrestricted payments, approximately £20,000.
Administrative Information St Mary the Virgin lThe Minsterl is situated in the centre of Axminster and is in the Honiton Deanery in the Diocese of Exeter. The correspondence addres5 is The Rectory, Church Street, Axminster EX13 5AQ The PCC is a body corporate IPCC Powers Measure 1956, and the Church Representation Rules 20061 and a Registered Charity no. 1127655. PCC Members who have served from I" January 2024 to the date this report was approved are.. Ex Officio The Incumbent Re¢d Lei5a Potterfrom 20th November 2024 Reader/LLM Ms Su Clark Churchwardens Mrs Jean Ray Mrs Amanda Loveridge Deanery Synod Reps Ms Nicola Russell IHoly Cross Chapel Warden) Mrs Jean Ray Mr Martin Ferdinando Safeguarding Officer Mrs Jean Ray Minute Secretary Mrs Jennifer Pyle Lay Elected Diocesan Mrs Anna Venables IAppointed 28th November 20241 Representative for Honiton Deanery Elected Members Ms Jill Farrow IAppointed Iilh April 20241 Mr Martin Ferdinando Dr Sugan Govender Mrs Pamela Macfarlane (Holy Crossl MrAlan Meade Mr Peter Par5hall Dr Fraser Russell (Holy Cross Chapel Wardenl Treasurer to the PCC Mr5 Pamela Macfarlane Ilnteriml Approved by the PCC on the 20th March 2025 and signed on its behalf by.. Re¢d Leisa Potter Rector and Chair of the PCC Mrs Pamela Macfarlane Treasurer
IND&-.PF.)Dfr.NT EN..1111)Tr.R'S RF.P(IR'I' TO.,IIIIIN%TTr.R P.4ROC-111..IL C'H I RC'II I'OI IC'II, ST 11,IRI' TIIF. I'IRC.I)...IINII%STER_ REG. CH.IRITY 50: 11276$4 I report io truste¢s on m} examinatiun tsl-lhe accoiinlq vf lh¢ chariiv for )'¢ar endLd i I tk¢ember ?024. Respectii'e responsibiliti of the PC.'C #nd the ex8rniner As ihL charity. 5 trustees i.ou aTe TC5P0Th51ble for ihe PTerofaiiuii ol-lhe aLL()unls". }ou onsider ihai an audit 15 nut requirèd for this J¢ar under seclion 144111 ol-lhe c.haritie Act ?0 I I I IhL ?01 l Ac¢) and thal an 1ndcndent examination is n¢¢d¢d. It is mj. r¢sTX)nsibility to.. ¢xamine the accoun15 und¢r section 14$ of th¥ ?0 I l Act. io follo th¢ pr(Kedures laid dowTr In the General l)irectlOTJS gii¢n bj. Ihe Chanti¢s Commissioners undcr s¢ctivn 1451 S Iibi of th¢ ?0 I I ALt: and io state Ih¢th¢r trtiCUlar maller5 ha¢ ¢ome (o mv aiientLUn. B¥515 of the independent examiner's report examinAiinn Isas Larried oui In acc()rdanie i%iih the Gen¢ral DITeclions b?iven bs. th¢ Chariti Commission¢r5 An eNamination Includ¢5 a re¥iei%' of Ihc accountinb records k¢pi bj ihe charin. and a compari50n of Ihe accounts presenied 1th those iecords. It also Includes consideration of anTr' unusual iterns or disclosures in ihe accounts, and sceking Cxplanations from y'ou as trustees conceminLi an! such matieTS. The priKedure% undLnaken do noi proi sde all the eN'idence ihai ilould required in an audit. and con%equentli' I do noi eNprLs% an aydit opinion on ihl %.7¢ ¥iien bi the accounts. Independent exAminer'$ ylatement In connecthon with m). examination, no marter has come to mv allention". I I I which &Tives ML reasonable couse io belieie ihat in an%" maierial restKci ihc requirements to k¢ep accounting recoTd5 in aordance with 5eclion 130 of ihe ?0 I I A¥"i. and 10 Prepare accounts which accord 1th the accountinb) records and comply i%'ith the accounting Tequircm¢nt5 01 the ?01 l Act hai¢ not been met: OT l?) to M.hich, in mv oniOn. attelrtion should be drai%n tn order to enable a proper undeTsiandin&i of th¢ acrountS to be reach¢d D.ITF.D 3rd %iarch 2024 wai.ne s World ol-IlccountanLV 14 Mead Il'av Seaton. Dei'on. EX I ? ?NR io
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