# **The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd** Sand Hill Farnborough GU14 8ER
## **Annual Report and Financial Statements**
## **of the Parochial Church Council**
for the year ended 31 December 2025
## **Incumbent**
Revd Thea Edwards The Vicarage 45, Sand Hill Farnborough GU14 8ER
## **Banks**
National Westminster Bank plc CAF (Charities Aid Foundation)
CCLA Investment Management Ltd (CBF Church of England Fund)
Cambridge and Counties Bank Charity Bank Ltd
## **Independent Examiner:**
Mr Zachary Ramsden FCA
## **Registered Charity No 1127829**
The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Administrative information**
The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd is situated in Sand Hill, Farnborough, Hampshire. Together with the Parish of St. Peter’s it forms the North Farnborough Group Ministry as part of the Diocese of Guildford within the Church of England. The church’s patron is the Church Pastoral Aid Society.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of the Church of the Good Shepherd is a charity, registered with the Charity Commission as Registered Charity Number 1127829.
PCC members who have served from 1 January 2025 until the date this report was approved are:
|_Incumbent:_|Revd Thea Edwards|Chair|
|---|---|---|
|_Curate:_|Revd Tom Wilcox|(from 30.6.25}|
|_Wardens:_|Karen Dawson|(to 25.5.2025)|
||Steven Robinson|(from 25.05.25) Lay chair|
||Jacqui Ward|(from 25.05.25)|
|_Representatives on the Deanery Synod:_|||
||Malcolm Bardsley||
||Alison Lake||
|_Elected Members:_|Kay Bademosi|(to 25.05.25)|
||Iris McKee||
||Bev Marchment|(to 25.05.25) Secretary|
||Michelle Minchin||
||Dianne Pickford||
||Steve Reid|(to 25.5.2025)|
||David Riddlestone||
||Steven Robinson|(to 25.5.2025)|
||Marian Rudall|Treasurer|
||Doris Rudd|(to 5.11.2025)|
||Kshitiz Sharma|(from 25.5.2025)|
||Richard Troughton||
||XX (trustee with a dispensation)|(from 25.5.2025)|
|_Co-opted Members_|Judith Hillary|_(from Deaf church)_|
||Bev Marchment|(from 25.05.25) Secretary|
||Lance Nevill|(from 25.05.2025) (Lay Chair and Warden to 25.5.2025)|
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Structure governance and management**
The Parochial Church Council is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure.
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish, including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent. New members receive initial training into the workings of the PCC. The PCC operates through a small number of committees, which meet between full meetings of the PCC.
The Standing Committee is the only committee required by law. It has power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the Council. The Standing Committee consists of the Vicar, Curate, Wardens, Secretary and Treasurer.
The full PCC met six times during 2025, with the Standing Committee meeting 14 times.
## **Safeguarding**
The PCC has a safeguarding policy and appoints a Safeguarding Officer who acts as a focal point for concerns. All key staff and volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults are recruited using Safer Recruitment principles and, where appropriate, are checked with the Disclosure and Barring Service. Clergy receive regular safeguarding training through the Diocese of Guildford and training is undertaken by other staff and volunteers as required. The PCC receives an annual report on safeguarding and reviews the safeguarding policy. Additionally, safeguarding is an item on the agenda of every PCC meeting.
## **Objectives and activities**
The PCC of the Church of the Good Shepherd has the responsibility of co-operating with the Incumbent, the Revd Thea Edwards, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has maintenance responsibilities for the Church of the Good Shepherd, Sand Hill, Farnborough and its grounds. The incumbent and the PCC have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion.
## **Church attendance**
There are 118 parishioners on the Church Electoral Roll, 30% of whom are resident within the parish. The average attendance at Sunday services across the year was 98 (2024-110). The October measure of ‘usual Sunday attendance’ was 103. These figures are for those attending in person but we also we live stream on YouTube.
## **Review of the year**
In 2025 our study of Exodus permeated our worshipping life and strategic work throughout the year as we reflected on the sovereign and redemptive power of God. We were challenged by a series of guest preachers about being God's people in a season of change and trusting his leading.
Our church has grown in breadth across the generations, with the seniors’ coffee morning bursting at the seams, and our children and youth work continuing to welcome everyone from toddlers to teenagers weekly. Work with
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Review of the year (contd)**
the local community schools further deepened to include facilitating termly quiet prayer spaces at lunchtime for children at Grange Junior, where Thea also became Governor.
It's been important to spend time together with Bring & Share lunches, a PCC Away Day, and a new structure to the APCM, leading everyone in celebrating and reviewing God’s work in and through us. Our outreach activities continue to provide help to those in our parish who are most in need, with the Olive Branch clothing exchange and Food Larder both faithfully available weekly, and No Questions Asked bags of food, on a monthly pattern.
In June we welcomed our new curate, Tom Wilcox, and his family. This addition is supported by the Strategic Development funding available to the Diocese of Guildford with the explicit purpose of training a greater number of priests in and for parishes of high deprivation index and brings extra capacity to our team and a fresh impetus to refocus our ministry and activities around kingdom growth.
Tom has established the 3-2-1 course (by Speak Life) for those curious about faith in Jesus Christ and designed a new church website to enable a stronger digital presence and welcome online. In November, we said goodbye to Abbie Edwards, our Community Pioneer Pastor, with us for 9 years. We expect that these staffing changes will bring a change of emphasis to our community life, ministries and activities, especially as we look to orientate everything we do around the gospel of Jesus Christ and kingdom growth, in line with our church values.
A small group joined the CPAS Leading Evangelism Learning Hub which explored ways of modelling and mobilising our church to be bolder in sharing faith. As a local church we remain committed to reaching our parish with the love and grace of Jesus Christ, and to playing our part in his body of believers in Guildford Diocese.
## **Financial review**
During 2025, total donations to the Church of the Good Shepherd, decreased by 5% to £220,359. Expenditure decreased from £258,143 to £249,469. The Church’s 2025 contribution to Parish Share of £76,226 was met in full. At the end of the year the general reserves had decreased by £6,488.
## **Reserves policy**
The PCC’s policy is to maintain a minimum balance on unrestricted funds of three months’ expenditure. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. The balance held at 31 December 2025 was £47,719 which equates to just under three months’ budgeted expenditure for 2026.
## **Missions Policy**
The church aims to give 10% of its donated and investment income to other local, national, and overseas mission organisations.
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Parochial Church Council of The Church of the Good Shepherd, Farnborough**
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 5 to 13.
## **Respective responsibilities of the PCC and Independent Examiner**
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent Examiner’s Statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
- the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Zachary Ramsden FCA Chartered Accountant 63 Deakin Leas, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2JT
24 March 2026
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
For the year ending 31 December 2025
|Notes
**INCOME FROM:**
Donations
2a
Investments
2b
Church activities
2c
**Total income**
**EXPENDITURE ON:**
Church activities
3
**Total expenditure**
Net income/(expenditure)
before transfers
Transfers between funds
11
**Net movement in funds**
Fund balances brought forward
at 1 January 2025
Fund balances carried forward
at 31 December 2025|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**2025**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
194,959
25,400
220,359
188,421
44,306
232,727
7,985
-
7,985
8,549
-
8,549
10,936
-
10,936
12,768 -
12,768|
|---|---|
||**213,880**
**25,400**
**239,280**
**209,738**
**44,306**
**254,044**|
||220,356
29,113
249,469
200,904
57,239
258,143|
||**220,356**
**29,113**
**249,469**
**200,904**
**57,239**
**258,143**|
||(6,476)
(3,713)
(10,189)
8,834
(12,933)
(4,099)
-
-
- 1,600
(1,600)
-|
||**(6,476)**
**(3,713)**
**(10,189)**
**10,434**
**(14,533)**
**(4,099)**
201,007
17,403
218,410
190,573
31,936
222,509|
||**194,531**
**13,690**
**208,221**
**201,007**
**17,403**
**218,410**|
The notes on pages 7 to 13 form part of these accounts.
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Balance Sheet**
At 31 December 2025
|Note
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible fixed assets 7
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
8
Cash at bank and in hand
9
**LIABILITIES**
Creditors - amounts falling
due within one year 10
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
**PARISH FUNDS**
11
Restricted
Unrestricted:
Designated funds
General funds (free reserves)
12|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
3,742
5,422
5,257
7,584
203,748
209,854|
|---|---|
||209,005
217,438
(4,526)
(4,450)|
||204,479
212,988|
||**208,221**
**218,410**|
||13,690
17,403
146,812
146,800
47,719
54,207|
||**208,221**
**218,410**|
The notes on pages 7 to 13 form part of these accounts.
Approved by the Parochial Church Council on 24 March 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
Revd Thea Edwards Incumbent
Bev Marchment PCC Secretary
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Notes to the Financial Statements**
For the year ended 31 December 2025
## **1 Accounting policies**
The PCC is a public benefit entity within the meaning of FRS102. The financial statements have been prepared under the Charities Act 2011 and in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 governing the individual accounts of PCCs, and with the Regulations’ ‘true and fair view’ provisions, together with FRS102 (2016) as the applicable accounting standards and the 2016 version of the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP (FRS102)).
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body nor those that are informal gatherings of Church members.
## **Funds**
**Restricted funds** represent a) income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in the terms of the trust or bequest, and b) donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object. The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of each year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund. The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fund.
**Designated funds** are unrestricted funds which the PCC has earmarked for a particular purpose. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
**Unrestricted funds** are general funds which can be used for PCC ordinary purposes.
**Income:** Planned giving, collections and donations are recognised when received. Tax refunds are recognised when the incoming resource to which they relate is received. Grants and legacies are accounted for when the PCC is legally entitled to the amounts due. All other income is recognised when it is receivable. All incoming resources are accounted for gross. The value of gifts donated for the Larder is calculated by valuing the parcels given out and deducting the costs of items purchased.
**Expenditure:** This includes all expenditure incurred in meeting the church’s main objectives and includes all costs in support of those objectives. Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded, if that award creates a binding or constructive obligation on the PCC. The diocesan parish share is accounted for when due.
## **Fixed assets**
Consecrated land, buildings and equipment are not included in the financial statements by virtue of the Charities Act 2011.
Moveable church furnishings held by the Incumbent and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC, and which require a faculty for disposal, are inalienable property, listed in the Church’s inventory, which can be inspected (at any reasonable time). For anything acquired prior to 2000 there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such assets are not valued in the financial statements.
Equipment used within the church premises is depreciated on a straight line basis over 5 years. Individual items of equipment with a purchase price of £1,000 or less are written off when the asset is acquired.
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Notes to the Financial Statements** (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2025
|**2 Income**
**a Donations**
Planned giving:
Gift aid donations
Income tax recoverable
Other planned giving
Legacy
Collections at services
Grants
Donations/appeals etc
Value of food given for Larder
**b Investments**
Bank and other interest
**c Church activities**
Bookstall
Church hall lettings
Fees
Miscellaneous
**TOTAL INCOME**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total 2025**
**Total 2024**
£
£
£
£
126,332
3,724 130,056
135,633
33,453
944
34,397
35,326
23,685
2,367
26,052
22,304
-
-
-
1,000
1,460
-
1,460
2,196
500
7,000
7,500
500
9,529
7,789
17,318
19,923
-
3,576
3,576
15,845|
|---|---|
||194,959
25,400
220,359
232,727|
||7,985
-
7,985
8,549|
||7,985
-
7,985
8,549|
||213
-
213
232
7,513
-
7,513
8,959
1,031
-
1,031
925
2,179
-
2,179
2,652|
||10,936
-
10,936
12,768|
|||
||**213,880**
**25,400**
**239,280**
**254,044**|
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Notes to the Financial Statements** (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2025
## **3 Expenditure**
|**xpenure**
Missionary and charitable giving:
Overseas
Mission organisations
Relief and development agencies
Home mission
Secular charities
Ministry:
Diocesan parish share
Other ministry costs
Larder
Office expenses
Church and hall running expenses
Church and grounds maintenance
Bookstall
Salaries and pension
Training costs
Special events
**Total expenditure**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total 2025**
**Total 2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
11,098
902
12,000
12,100
3,638
-
3,638
3,500
3,550
-
3,550
3,350
900
-
900
750|
|---|---|
||19,186
902
20,088
19,700|
||76,226
-
76,226
74,367
19,595
-
19,595
20,967
- 18,211
18,211
41,651
1,302
-
1,302
1,185
16,001
-
16,001
16,615
23,836
-
23,836
9,502
231
-
231
218
62,817
10,000
72,817
72,550
842
-
842
1,135
320
-
320 253|
||201,170
28,211
229,381 238,443|
|||
||**220,356**
**29,113**
**249,469**
**258,143**|
## **4 Staff costs**
|Salaries
National Insurance
Pension costs|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
68,105
68,605
796
-
3,916
3,945|
|---|---|
||**72,817**
**72,550**|
During 2025 the PCC employed a parish secretary, a Pioneer Community Worker (to 14 November 2025) and a Youth and Children’s Minister, none of whom earned £60,000 or more. The Pioneer Community Worker, the Youth and Children’s Minister and the parish secretary were reimbursed for expenses incurred in carrying out their duties.
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Notes to the Financial Statements** (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2025
## **5 Pension Scheme**
The Church of the Good Shepherd participates in the Pension Builder Scheme section of the Church Workers Pension Fund (CWPF) for lay staff. The Scheme is administered by the Church of England Pensions Board, which holds the assets of the schemes separately from those of the Employer and the other participating employers.
The CWPF has two sections - the Defined Benefits Scheme and the Pension Builder Scheme which has two subsections - a deferred annuity section known as Pension Builder Classic and a cash balance section known as Pension Builder 2014.
## **Pension Builder Scheme**
The Pension Builder Scheme of the CWPF is made up of two sections, Pension Builder Classic and Pension Builder 2014, both of which are classed as defined benefit schemes. The Church of the Good Shepherd participates in the latter section.
Pension Builder 2014 is a cash balance scheme that provides a lump sum which members use to provide benefits at retirement. Pension contributions are recorded in an account for each member. Discretionary bonuses may be added before retirement, depending on investment returns and other factors. The account, plus any bonuses declared is payable, unreduced, from age 65.
There is no sub-division of assets between employers in each section of the Pension Builder Scheme.
The scheme is considered to be a multi-employer scheme as described in Section 28 of FRS 102. This is because it is not possible to attribute the Pension Builder Scheme’s assets and liabilities to specific employers and means that contributions are accounted for as if the Scheme were a defined contribution scheme. The pensions costs charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the year are contributions payable (2025: £3,916; 2024: £3,945).
A valuation of the Pension Builder Scheme is carried out once every three years. The most recent scheme valuation completed was carried out as at 31 December 2022. For the Pension Builder 2014 section, the valuation revealed a surplus of £8.5m on the ongoing assumptions used. There is no requirement for deficit payments at the current time.
The legal structure of the scheme is such that if another employer fails, Church of the Good Shepherd could become responsible for paying a share of that employer’s pension liabilities.
## **6 Trustees**
None of the PCC members was paid any remuneration or received any benefit from an employment with the charity but, where appropriate, were reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses. 12 (2024 – 10) trustees were reimbursed a total of £5,607 (2024 - £9,263) during the year for expenses incurred on behalf of the church. Donations received from members of the PCC and their related parties amounted to £55,459 (2024 - £65,752) in the year.
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Notes to the Financial Statements** (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2025
## **7 Fixed assets for use by the PCC**
|,
**Actual / deemed cost**At 1 January 2025
Additions
At 31 December 2025
**Depreciation**At 1 January 2025
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2025
**Net Book Value**At 31 December 2025
At 31 December 2024|**Church**
**Equipment**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
32,034
32,034
1,388 1,388|
|---|---|
||33,422
33,422|
||26,612
26,612
3,068
3,068|
||29,680
29,680|
||3,742
3,742
5,422
5,422|
Church equipment comprises office equipment, two video projectors, a sound desk, hybrid services equipment, an electronic piano, worship area chairs and kitchen equipment.
## **8 Debtors**
|Income tax recoverable
Prepayments and accrued income
Other debtors
**Cash and bank accounts**
Charities Aid Foundation current account
Nat West current account
Cambridge and Counties Bank 95 day access
Cambridge and Counties Bank 60 day access
CBF Deposit Fund
Charity Bank 1 year fixed term account
Cash in hand|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
3,735
4,620
1,436
2,293
86
671
|
|---|---|
||**5,257**
**7,584**|
||**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
11,739 14,797
1,131
675
71,006
68,294
14,541
14,055
55,331
61,981
50,000
50,000
-
52|
||**203,748**
**209,854**|
## **9 Cash and bank accounts**
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Notes to the Financial Statements** (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2025
## **10 Creditors**
|Amounts falling due within one year:|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**4,526**
**4,450**|
|---|---|
## **11 Statement of funds**
## **Restricted funds**
|Larder
Banner workshop
Youth and Children’s Minister
Church for deaf people
Mission fund|**Balance at**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**1 Jan 2025 resources Expended Transfers**
**31 Dec 2025**
**£ £**
**£**
**£**
**£**
1,718
24,498
18,211
-
8,005
454
-
-
-
454
15,000
-
10,000
-
5,000
231
-
-
-
231
-
902
902
-
-|
|---|---|
||**17,403**
**25,400**
**29,113**
**-**
**13,690**|
The Larder Fund is for the provision of food and essential household items to people within the local community.
## **Unrestricted funds**
|Designated funds:
Development fund
Major repairs fund
Mission fund
General funds:
Free reserves|**Balance at**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**1 Jan 2025 resources Expended Transfers**
**31 Dec 2025**
**£ £**
**£**
**£**
**£**
95,000
-
- -
95,000
50,000
-
-
-
50,000
1,800
19,086
19,098
1,812|
|---|---|
||146,800
-
19,086 19,098
146,812
54,207
213,880
201,270(19,098)
47,719|
||**201,007**
**213,880**
**220,356 -**
**194,531**|
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The Parish Church of the Good Shepherd – Annual Report for 2025
## **Notes to the Financial Statements** (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2025
## **11 Statement of funds (continued)**
Funds are held in the Development Fund to provide for the future development of the church’s ministry and it is anticipated that these will be used up over the next five years as we build up our regular giving to meet the cost of employing a Youth and Children’s Minister.
The Major Repairs Fund has been built up so that funds are available when major repairs are required to our buildings.
## **12 Analysis of net assets by fund**
|.
Fixed assets for church use
Current assets
Current liabilities
Fund balance
|**Unrestricted Restricted**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**2025**
**£**
**£**
**£**
3,742 -
3,742
195,315
13,690
209,005
(4,526)
-
(4,526)|
|---|---|
||194,531
13,690
208,221|
## **13 Mission and charitable giving**
## **Overseas mission**
|Crosslinks / Arise - Debbie and Alan Burt
Operation Mobilisation (OM) - Jenny and Nihad Shihadi
**Relief and development agencies**
Giving Hope to Turkey
Open Doors
Tearfund
**Home mission**
BSL Translation
Christian Deaflink
Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS)
Connect Christian Counselling
Signs of God
The Triangle
**Secular charities**
Step-By-Step|6,000
6,000
1,637
1,000
1,000
363
50
1,000
675
313
1,150
900|
|---|---|
||20,088|
Additionally, special offerings have been taken up for National Deaf Children’s Society and Step by Step.
13