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2022-12-31-accounts

Annual Parochial Church Meeting Report April 2023

APCM Report 2023 final

Reading Gateway Church Vision and Values Statement

1. Who we are (our Identity as a church)

We are one church made up of three sites at St Agnes with St Paul and St Barnabas who are:

2. What is our call (Vision)

Our vision is to see ‘South Reading experiencing and being transformed by the Good News of Jesus.’

Growing Disciples :

Reaching Out

3. What are our values (Our Character as a church)

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Introduction from the Rector, Revd Nick Hill

Welcome to our annual celebration of the life of our Church Family. Our vision is to see ‘South Reading experiencing and being transformed by the Good News of Jesus.’ Over the last year we have continued working in partnership with the resource church, Greyfriars. I am thrilled to see our vision being outworked and all the new things that God has been doing in and through our church community. We have seen the transformative work of Jesus at work in us as individuals, through our congregations and across South Reading and beyond.

Over the last year as a parish, we have seen significant growth of people joining us and making Reading Gateway Church their spiritual home, we have also had our fair share of challenges too. This report aims to celebrate and give thanks to God for all that He has done in and through Reading Gateway Church since our last APCM. This is our review of the past year, in terms of our growth as disciples of Jesus, our missional activities, and our stewardship of all that God has given us.

There are so many areas of ministry, answers to prayer, and lives transformed that we give thanks for. We also pray for God’s wisdom and resources for the continued challenges that lie ahead of us, knowing that with God’s help nothing is impossible.

As we look back and give thanks for all that God has done in the last year, please remember that the church exists for the sole purpose of mission – to proclaim the Gospel and to demonstrate the love of Jesus, as we live our lives as His disciples and reach out to those in need across South Reading.

On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone who has faithfully served over the last year. I thank God that each one of you continues to pursue that focus on His mission.

Nick Hill Rector Reading Gateway Church

The following report is divided into seven sections:

1. Reading Gateway Church Vision and where we’re going

2. Investing in our Church Family

3. Prayer and Worship

4. Pastoral Care

5. Children and Families’ Ministry

6. Mission and Outreach

7. Governance, Fabric and Maintenance

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1. Reading Gateway Church Vision and where we’re going.

Our Vision and Values statement, as set out on the inside cover, was agreed by the church in February in 2021. Since then, we’ve made good progress in implementing our objectives, as set out in the sections below.

2. Investing in our Church Family

2.1. The Clergy Team

Our clergy team comprises:

We are also grateful for the support of Richard and Helen Winter, due to be licensed as Lay Ministers in autumn 2023.

2.2. Rebranding

To move forward as the united Body of Christ in South Reading, the church, formerly known as the Parish of St Agnes with St Paul and St Barnabas, adopted the more inclusive and straightforward overarching name of Reading Gateway Church. This expresses our physical location as the ‘gateway’ to South Reading and our spiritual role, in Christ, of providing a ‘gateway’ to God’s Kingdom and transformative power. We’ve used this ‘alias’ name since September 2021. From April 1[st] this year, the Bishop authorised our legal name to be changed to the Parish of Reading Gateway. Our church sites retain their dedications of St Agnes, St Paul and St Barnabas.

2.3. Welcome and Hospitality

A core part of our vision and values is to be a warm, welcoming church community. We work hard to make sure that anyone who comes into our church buildings on a Sunday morning is met with a warm welcome. We have

‘welcome’ teams at both churches, appointed by the PCC.

Over the last year, we have held 4 joint congregational meals and social gatherings, and our hot beverage stations in both churches encourage people to spend time with each other before and after services.

2.4. Communication

Website, Zoom and Social Media Accounts

Over the last year we have continued to invest in, develop and add content to our communication tools. For example, we have added a ‘reaching out’ page to our website: www.readinggateway.church . This includes dedicated sections for our new parish nurse and kids’ worship videos. Our Facebook, YouTube and Instagram accounts continue to be well-used. Our 10.45am service at our St Agnes site is livestreamed through our YouTube channel and our 9am service at our St Barnabas site is Zoomed, enabling those who would not normally be able to attend our services, or those seeking a church, to join us. The use of Zoom at St Barnabas also enables members of the congregation to socialise with those on Zoom after the service.

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ChurchSuite, Office 365 and SharePoint

This year we have streamlined administration through the introduction of our new church management software called ChurchSuite. This, along with the use of Office 365 and SharePoint, is gradually becoming more embedded in our church life, enabling us to be GDPR compliant, organize events & bookings, sign online forms, operate an on-line calendar & rotas, and ensuring transparency and accountability in our management practices.

2.5. Teaching and discipleship

To be a Christian is to seek to be changed continually by God, so that we become increasingly Christlike. Teaching is an important part of helping us to grow as a church community. Currently this is provided through sermon series and Connect groups (‘small groups’).

Over the last year our preaching team has grown significantly, and we have been really blessed through their preaching. Our sermon series have explored themes of particular relevance to the challenges facing our congregations: for example, teaching on our insecurity and the lies we believe about ourselves, and the five ‘marks of mission’. These were very well received and a number of people have commented on how powerful they were, and how God has spoken to them personally.

As Reading Gateway Church grows, it will become increasingly important that we all have a place to connect with others, beyond meeting on Sundays. Being part of a smaller group allows us to care for each other pastorally, to learn, to share projects and “do life together”.

Simon Hodgson and Sally Mortimore are our small group (now called ‘Connect’ groups) coordinators. There’s no perfect model for a Connect group: currently there is an evening house group, a Young Adults group, and an afternoon ‘Zoom’ Bible study group. Over the next year, Sally and Simon will be supporting people in the church to form and lead more Connect groups, each with their own ‘flavour’ – for example, Connect groups could be: a mid-week lunch group; a men’s group; a running club. What is important is that all Connect groups share a common core of pastoral connection, discipling through fellowship, an outward missional culture, and a willingness to be part of the church structure.

Simon and Sally will be providing pastoral support, training and some simple study materials for those who want them. If you’re interested in being a connect group leader or would like to start a group do please contact connectgroups@readinggateway.church.

2.6. Training

Part of our ‘call’ is to equip and empower everyone to be more Christlike in how we live as the people of God. We are therefore committed to exploring God’s calling on people’s lives, and our needs for equipping and training, both for specific ministry and volunteering roles, such as safeguarding, health & safety and serving on the PCC, and more generally in discipleship, such as funding team members to attend Soul Survivor, Naturally Supernatural, and Estates’ Ministry conferences.

This year we have continued our commitment to training and development and have increased our investment. We want all those who volunteer, or we employ for roles within our church family to receive both statutory and additional training to ensure they are equipped and feel confident to fulfil these roles. We also want to further enable those who

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struggle with access to our ‘online life’ together to have both the tools and training they need to benefit from the internet.

This year Oli M has joined us as our New Wine Discipleship Student working alongside Joe in the Kids ministry and Carol Atkins has joined us as our Pioneer Curate. We are continuing to support the training of Richard and Helen Winter to become Licensed Lay Ministers and thank God for their calls to this ministry among us. We also have a few members of our congregation who are feeling called into ordained ministry and are starting the discernment process with the Diocese which is so exciting.

2.7. Keeping People Safe

The discovery of past abuses by the Church of England has focused attention on the need for parishes to have formal procedures for ensuring people’s physical and mental safety. We have reviewed and renewed all our safeguarding and health & safety-related policies, procedures and risk assessments. This ensures we are compliant with best practice and the law. following the procedures also informs training needs and raises awareness, for all our church members, of appropriate behaviours and how to identify risks and to respond to suspected abuse.

2.7.1. Safeguarding

Safeguarding primarily covers any work with children and vulnerable adults who attend our churches or halls. The Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO), Becca Romanovsky, works at identifying risks, looking towards prevention of incidents as far as possible. The PSO reports regularly to the PCC. Safeguarding is on all PCC meeting agendas, so any concerns can be raised. The PSO is supported by a safeguarding team, who are responsible for reviewing policies and procedures relating to all safeguarding areas, and for determining whether these policies and procedures are being followed.

Appropriate DBS checks (basic or enhanced criminal record checks) for persons in current roles with children & youth work and vulnerable adults, and all PCC members, have been completed. In addition, all PCC members and those in relevant roles have received appropriate training and access to relevant resources.

Over the last year we have been putting in processes to ensure that all new volunteers and employed staff are appointed and trained in line with our Safer Recruitment policy. Additionally, we are reviewing the training of all our existing volunteers and ensuring they have clear role descriptions. Staff and volunteers working with children, young people and vulnerable adults have also been issued with a ‘safeguarding contact and information’ card which they can keep on them when on duty.

2.7.2. Health and Safety

Our Health and Safety Officer, Pete Horne, has undertaken a thorough review of all our buildings and sites. Issues arising from this review have been discussed at PCC, and a programme of remedial works implemented. All high priority matters were addressed in 2022. Following a review and updating of our health and safety policy, our procedures, and our risk assessments in line with government regulations, we are now reviewing our health and safety risk assessments for all our sites and any appropriate training required for our employed staff and volunteers.

2.7.3. Code of Behaviour

We are an inclusive church. In order to ensure that all people feel safe, respected and valued as members of the church, PCC has adopted a code of behaviour setting out how we will relate to one another during PCC meetings. All church members are encouraged to engage with, and commit to, these ways of building relationships.

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3. Prayer & Worship

3.1. Prayer

As a church community we are passionate about Spirit-led prayer and worship being at the heart of everything we do. Through our prayer and worship, we want to point people to Jesus who is the focus of our worship and the only one who brings life-changing transformation.

During the last year we have continued meeting three times a week to hold short informal prayer meetings at St Agnes’ and St Barnabas’ sites and in Whitley Wood (since November 2022, St Paul’s site). Once a month, we hold an evening midweek ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ prayer and praise evening, which, in February, was held jointly with our Resource Church family of congregations (Greyfriars, St Matthews and St Johns). We also have several regular intercessory prayer meetings that happen during the week via zoom.

Our dedicated prayer ministry team are available during our family service at St Agnes and our Connect Groups engage in regular prayer. We are continually looking to further encourage prayer by investing in equipping, training and enabling the wider church community to exercise their God-given giftings, for example sending a group of volunteers to the Soul Survivor Naturally Supernatural Conference in February 2023.

3.2. Worship

We recognise that different styles of worship suit different groups of people and different occasions. We are therefore keen to establish a range of service formats at Reading Gateway Church, where we can celebrate our unity in diversity, and encounter God in the ways that are helpful to each of us.

Our corporate worship currently consists of a weekly liturgical service of Holy Communion at our St Barnabas site and a more informal family service with Kids’ Church at our St Agnes site. It is our intention, in the coming year, to explore setting up a new congregation aimed at families on a Sunday afternoon at our St Barnabas site.

Some of our key highlights this year have been our Christmas Services in 2022, with over 1147 people attending our various special, online or in-person services. We also had several services in our churches over the Easter period with over 643 people attending either online or in-person, which is something to be celebrated.

In 2022 we invested in new sound and visuals at our St Barnabas site, funded by a legacy from Paddi Lilley, a long-time member of the congregation. This has further aided the ministry and mission of our church.

Over the last year we have seen a significant growth across the parish with a number of new people making Reading Gateway Church their spiritual home. Much of this growth has been due to our new web page, our live stream services, Children and Families’ work in schools and within our community, and new people moving into our parish. Those who have joined us have become active members of the church serving in all areas of our church ministry.

4. Pastoral Care

Pastoral care is an integral part of our ongoing vision at Reading Gateway Church. Over the last year we have been reviewing and rewriting our pastoral care safe working practices,

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policy, and procedures. Pastoral care happens in several ways within our church community: through our small group leaders, children and families’ work, the ministry team, and pastoral volunteers who make phone calls and home visits.

Our Pastoral Care Team keep in contact, through phone calls and visits, with those who are less able to take an active part in the life of the church. Communion can be taken into someone’s home if they are not able to come to a Communion service. Over the next few months, we are looking to train and increase our pastoral team of volunteers. We are also looking to start additional home groups, as this is a context where pastoral care can be done more effectively.

It is vitally important that, as we grow as church community, we remember that we are members of the body of Christ. We all have a God-given responsibility to look out for, and care for, each other in order to maintain a Christ-centred, loving relationship with each other.

Over the last year we have very sadly lost four congregation members:

Pat Few, October 2022 and Don Few, March 2023. Pat and Don were long-term active and respected church members at our St Barnabas site; Pat involved in music and drama, and Don serving as treasurer for a time.

Simone’s mum Ann Honour, December 2022 and Charity’s husband - Denis Mbui, December 2022 who were both long-term and much loved church members at our St Agnes site.

5. Children and Families’ Ministry

This past year has been an exciting development year for Reading Gateway Church’s Kids’ Ministry. We have successfully launched weekly church groups and have built work with 6 different schools. We have built partnerships with other churches and organisations and have been in front of and shared faith with over 1000 kids and their families, as a ministry, since the last APCM. This has been done through a mix of schools work, events, weekly sessions, Kids’ Church and working within the community. There have been many moments that have been brilliant during the year, but a standout must be a family that have come to 2 of the weekly sessions, every week, and have become a big part of our Kids’ Ministry. The children’s mother came to

our Light Event and had an amazing time in the prayer tent, encountering God so powerfully that she has asked to meet with two of our ministry team members to pray some more. This is so exciting as they are an unchurched family and have only connected with us and God through the work started within our Kids’ Ministry. Another great moment in this year was when 570 school children from a local school came into the church for Harvest Festival and Joe was able to share about the love that God has for us and how He loves it when we share that care and love for others.

5.1. Kids’ Church

Kids’ Church is a place to encounter God and grow in faith. We have recently been following the same teaching series as the adult congregation and the kids have enjoyed it and found it challenging. The kids within our Kids’ Church currently have a shallow understanding of the Christian faith and the Bible. One of the things we have focused on is our identity in God, why we worship Him, who are the key people in the Bible, and how all this affects our week away from church.

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It has brought up some great questions about how we look at ourselves and how we treat others around us. A standout time in Kids’ Church has been the series on praying to God. We looked at 5 ways of interacting with God: thanking & praising, intercessory prayer, ‘arrow’ prayers (praying within our day), hearing from God, and waiting on God. The service where we had a time of waiting on God and listening to Him was particularly special. Within this time each child

heard from God, and we had some words for people in church and we found out after the service that several of them were really impactful for people in church. One of the kids had a picture of an airplane flying over the church spreading peace, so we went back into church and from the front we threw a paper airplane and as it went down, we prayed that God’s peace would rest on our church, during singing. People said afterwards that they really felt the presence of God within the song. Our prayer as a team is that Kids’ Church becomes a place where kids encounter God in worship, and that hearing Him speak to them becomes regular and something they take into their own day to day lives. We also want our kids to build a strong and robust understanding of who God is and what the Bible teaches them, so when life’s tough times come, they can be strong in their faith and identity as a child of God. One of our kids said “I didn’t know God walked with me every day. This changes things a lot!”. A parent said” I love that my kid knows she can pray without me now”.

To go alongside our Kids’ Church we have started to create Family Discipleship Resources to help families disciple their children at home as well as in the church context. - https://www.readinggateway.church/kids worship/

5.2. Parents and Toddlers

Parents and Toddlers is a group for parents and guardians to come with children under 5 years to have fun, engage with other families and have a chat over a drink. Since the launch we have run 32 Parents and Toddlers’ sessions with an average of 18 families attending each week. It has been great to start developing relationships with parents through this time: 2 parents now offer to come early and stay late to help. We have had several conversations that have given the team a chance to support and speak into young parents’ lives and offer wise words and a supportive ear. In 3 cases we have helped parents selfrefer to Readifood for food support and in one case we have used our emergency help fund to support a family in immediate need. Conversations over the last few months have been really deep as a number of parents and members of the team have lost close relatives. Often the conversation has turned to support around bereavement, with a few tears being shed, but we feel as a team we are in such a privileged position to be able to lend a listening ear and a heart full of love to support these parents in such a tough time. We have decided as a team to not charge for P&T as we didn’t feel it was good to put a barrier to entry into this session. However, we have had a good amount of weekly donations coming in that is keeping the budget topped up. We therefore feel currently there is no need to add a charge. As a team we are looking forward to deepening relationships and creating a safe and supportive community around our

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parents and toddlers. One comment from a parent was: “ you are so lucky to have such a nice light, large and clean space to invite families into - and the coffee isn’t bad too ”. Another parent added “ Parents and Toddlers is such fun for my kids. Joe has endless energy, combined with a team that are always willing to listen to you even if it’s a small struggle”.

5.3. Kids’ Club – Ran from January to December 2022

Kids’ Club was a space for primary-aged children to come to have fun and feel safe. This session was a slow burner in terms of numbers in attendance, but this was partly on purpose as we felt we wanted this session to have a culture set by the team and our existing kids from church rather than set by kids we don’t know. We have had an average of 4 kids a session but over the autumn term we saw that grow to an average of 8. Kids’ Club has been filled with fun and the children attending have said “ I like the fun activities the team comes up with and that I have a place to have fun after a long day at school ”.

We have had some great conversations over the weeks from why TikTok is so great (or not great) to Creation and so much more. Over our last term (Sept – Nov) we started serving toasties from the kitchen as we were aware kids were coming straight from school and needing food. This is combined with knowing we are in an area where families are feeling the price rises more than in other areas. Providing a toastie and fruit means that parents don’t have to feed their child that night (we are expecting that the children will get a main free school meal) and this will also bless the parents as they navigate this tough time. In the growth of this session, we have had one kid who has attended most of these sessions who isn’t from a church family but loves to come and be with us. We continue to pray for them all and hope that, one day, he and so many others will give their lives to Jesus.

Kids’ Club ended at Christmas due to lack of Kids attending, we have used this learning process to decide as a ministry to focus more on large monthly and termly events where we have seen great numbers.

5.4. Special events

We have had four special events this year: Easter Bash, Church Family BBQ, Light Party, Toddlers’ Families’ summer picnic. These have been great opportunities to invite families from church, Parents &Toddlers, and children from the local schools and, consequently, to have unchurched children into our church. All events were well attended, and all had a moment where one of our Team shared the gospel of Jesus. Our last two events, our Light Party and our Big Easter Bash, had a good number of kids attending who were not part of our church. It was amazing to have our church full of kids having fun and celebrating ‘all things Light’ and Jesus. For a church that started the year with a very small kids’ work, it feels a great blessing to have so many kids wanting to enter our doors to have a party.

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We look forward to using special events like these in the future to reach out into the community and to give quality fun events that give us an opportunity to meet families and share the love of Jesus more widely in our community.

5.5. Discipleship Year Student

We have been blessed as a church to have Oli as our Discipleship Year Student from New Wine. He has been a key part of all you hear about above: he has helped plan, run and disciple the kids God has put in our care and in front of us. This has been a great year to see Oli grow and step into what God has for him personally, but it has also been brilliant to see how his skills have grown in our church context and how what he has learnt is now impacting positively on the kids and youth he works with. Oli has brought far more to the Kids’ and Youth Ministry than the time and financial cost of our investment in his training, and it has been brilliant to see him flourish. He will be greatly missed when he finishes his year in July 2023.

5.6. Youth

This year we have started a weekly Youth Discipleship house group. They have been looking into the ‘lies of the world’ vs the ‘Truths of God’. We have had 8-10 youths meeting weekly. Over the summer we took 6 away to the New Wine summer gathering to serve on the Stomping Ground team. This was an amazing opportunity to build deeper relationships and serve God together. This term we have started Youth Alpha.

This has now been changed into a monthly Youth Church that happens at the same time as the main service at St Agnes. It has been great to see the youth grow in the faith and develop as young people.

5.7. Our Dream for The Next Year

Our prayer, over all our groups and sessions, is that we see an increase in the number of attendees. Most of all we pray that each child or family attending will know more of the lifechanging love God has for them and that this would impact their life in a new way. We pray that we will see kids and families from this community transformed, and then to become a witness to their own community.

We are looking forward to the summer, another light party and to Christmas 2023 where, with schoolwork and events, we are expecting to be in front of over 600 kids. We pray that the words we share as a team will bring hope, joy and a chance for kids to learn the real, tangible faith they can have in Jesus in their daily lives.

Later in 2023, we hope to start an Outreach Youth detached team to go alongside our Kids work within the community. This will be aimed to create safe and healthy relationships with young people in their own contexts.

6. Mission & Outreach

Our Vision & Values statement identifies mission / outreach as one of our two key ‘calls’ as a church community. (The other is growing discipleship.) This means that we recognise that mission is a core part of who we are as Christians: it is part of the ‘DNA’ of who we are and how we work out God’s call on our lives at Reading Gateway Church. As a church community we have always focused outwards and we have been serving and supporting in our local

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community for many years. We want to continue to commit to working out our vision and to helping the poor, needy, and marginalized across the Parish.

6.1. Review of our current mission and outreach strategy

We believe that if we are to grow as individuals and as a church community in our missional outreach, we need first to identify where God is calling us to spend our time and money in mission. We commit one-tenth of all our income (giving, hall hire, interest) to mission work. Previously, this has been donated to charities that are engaged in mission that is separate from our congregational outreach. However, that has necessarily limited what we can achieve in our own parish. Therefore, in the past year, PCC has been reviewing our understanding of mission and how God wants us to use the tithe money.

As a church community we need to fully engage with mission, both in how we spend our time and money, and for the long term. We recognise that mission is not just evangelism but the whole mission of God: us partnering with God in everything we do. It is outreach by the whole church, not just by the few. We have therefore spent the year focusing on the mission God is calling us to locally. PCC feels that God is particularly calling us to mission that enables those on the margins to have their own voice and choice, and to be involved in decisions that affect them (what we term ‘enabling mission’). We have therefore taken decisions to redirect much of our tithe money towards local mission and reaching out: supporting Torch, the Parish Nurse, Foodwise Reading and Cowshed. We have also continued to support Embrace the Middle East, as an international ‘enabling’ missional charity. The Christingle collection was given to the Children’s Society, and members of the congregation also contributed to charities supporting victims in Ukraine. Please do check out our new web page for reaching out https://www.readinggateway.church/reaching-out/

6.1.1. Parish Nurse

After a year of planning, liaising with other local churches and fund-raising, we were delighted to appoint Jill Anders as a Parish Nurse to work across our parish, in a part-time capacity. For this we are working in partnership with Parish Nurse Ministries UK. Jill is a Christian nurse, registered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), who will provide ‘whole person’ health support to people of all ages and backgrounds, with any faith or none. We thank Readifood, Reading Borough Council and Oxford Diocese Mission Fund for contributing financial support to this outreach work.

After carrying out a strategic review of what was needed in the local community, Jill identified 5 main priorities:

Jill has linked with local charities, including Faith Christian group, Torch, and Rest Days, and local services including GPs, social prescribers and Communicare.

In February, Jill started free weekly chair-based exercise classes at St Paul’s site. These are averaging 20 participants each week. Attendees report that the classes help to combat loneliness and isolation, as well as exercise for muscle strength, balance, and coordination. Simple blood pressure checks are offered, and the class also enables participants to get

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health advice and signposting to other services, if required. The class ends with relaxation and breathing techniques to use during times of anxiety or panic. This is followed by refreshments and a chance to interact with others. Attendees are aged between 40 and 90 years old, and are of mixed genders.

Jill has started working in partnership with Readifood foodbank (https://readifood.org.uk/ ), which identifies those who are deemed as the most vulnerable or in need of further help from the referrals they receive. Jill then goes out with a food delivery to meet those who have been identified to see what additional help they may need: to date 10 families have been contacted by the Parish Nurse through Readifood.

To the end of March 2023, 23 individuals have self-referred or been referred via our secure online referral form. Each of these has been contacted and followed up. Of these, the Parish Nurse referred 9 to outside agencies for further support and intervention. In the same time period, 4 people have been referred from outside agencies. Interventions included referral to a crisis team, explaining procedures and timescales, prayer and pastoral care, and advocacy with the Department for Work and Pensions.

Jill has also been able to source and provide aids to a number of clients who were at risk of falling, has provided advice to a number of individuals about decluttering their house due to hoarding, and provided health advice, including pre-operation discussions and advice on self-care post-operation.

At the end of March, the Parish Nurse held a Men’s Breakfast with 20 attendees. A visiting doctor gave advice on men’s physical and mental wellbeing and how to check for signs and symptoms. The event was warmly received with feedback asking for more of the same.

Reading Gateway has now recruited a volunteer Parish Nurse Assistant, Maureen Keeble, who, by the end of March, had volunteered 37 hours.

As well as continuing the activities discussed above, the Parish Nurse is exploring whether to expand her work in the following areas:

6.1.2. Foodwise Reading

We reported last year that we planned to employ a part-time food coach for three years, to assist families in our parish struggling with the rising costs of food. A significant increase in costs has delayed implementation of this outreach activity: we are hoping to have this up and running by the end of this year subject to raising another £20k. We have agreed to partner with Foodwise to help us recruit, employ, train, and support the food coach once we have the additional funding in place. They currently have three other such projects based in Surrey.

The food coach will train local families how to budget, shop, and cook nutritious food (‘life skills’ training). We are also looking to partner with Readifood’s foodbank to provide

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the food for the training of the local families, so that they are able to use the food from foodbanks and to budget better. This is a service which is desperately needed across the parish.

When the food coach is in place, we are also planning ‘holiday hunger’ sessions in school holidays. These are free meals provided for children who receive free school meals during term time.

6.2. Schools work

Over this last year It has been such a surprise to find how eager the local schools have been to have our Children’s and Families’ ministry team in to work with their students.

6.2.1 Whitley Park primary school

We currently run a weekly session in Whitley Park primary school supporting some of their most vulnerable students. It has been amazing to support a small group in this way, making close and impactful relationships. Our prayer is that these relationships will be impactful for those students who may not have any good adult role models in other parts of their lives. We have been looking at emotions and how we can interact and love one another.

We have also been partnering with ‘REinspired’ in Whitley Park primary school, this year, to deliver 6 lessons based on the Christian faith.

We have had the privilege of inviting Whitley Park primary school into our St Agnes site for a Christmas carol service, ‘Easter Cracked’ and a Harvest Festival service. These have all had a strong Christian input where we have clearly and boldly shared that God loves them and wants to have a relationship with them. It has been amazing to be able to share the life-changing love of God through these sessions.

The Head Teacher commented after our Harvest Festival service: “Thank you for having us – it seemed to work really well, and you made us feel very welcome. It was great to hear you explain the Harvest Festival in understandable terms for the students. Thank you”.

6.2.2 Geoffrey Fields primary school

We have also been partnering with ‘REinspired’ in Geoffrey Fields primary school and have been able to deliver 3 lessons based on the Christian faith. We have also attended 2 ‘teacher training’ days to bless the staff with coffee and cakes. It has been great to build relationships with the school children and teachers and we pray it will open more doors into the school.

We have also invited Geoffrey Fields’ KS2 children into our St Agnes site for ‘Easter Cracked’. Here we shared the love that God has for the students through Jesus and the events of Easter.

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6.2.3 Whiteknights primary school

We have started to build a relationship with Whiteknights school and have been invited in to lead a number of whole-school assemblies around the Christian faith. We have led on Harvest Festival, Easter, Joy, and Worship. These have been well received and we look forward to doing more.

6.2.4 The Ridgeway

We are very excited that, since Christmas, we have been doing a weekly assembly in the Ridgeway school. We have been sharing about the Christian faith in relation to the school’s values. These have gone so well we have been asked to continue our assemblies and make them a weekly residency at the school. The Ridgeway Year 5&6s came over to the St Barnabas Church site for the first time in a good number of years to do “Easter Cracked”. This led to 8 of the Year 6s coming to our Big Easter Bash and hearing about Jesus one more time!

6.2.5 Future Schools work

We have the Whiteknights and Whitley Park primary schools booked in to come to our St Agnes and St Barnabas sites this Christmas to share a ‘Christmas Unwrapped’ service. This will again be an amazing opportunity to be in front of the whole school and to share God’s love for them.

7 Alpha 2023

At the start of this year, we ran our second Alpha, supported by a wonderful team who hosted the evenings: praying, setting up, cooking, serving and hosting the group discussions. We had a small core number of people who joined us regularly over the 12 weeks. We joined forces with Greyfriars for our Holy Spirit Day, where we had over 40 people attend. This proved to be a great time of fellowship and ministry: we certainly experienced the move of the Spirit during the day.

All those who were on our Alpha course attend St Agnes regularly on a Sunday morning and are serving in different ways. Some of the highlights have been that some attendees have had key questions answered, saying “ we have grown in faith over the course and are wanting to read the Bible”. One said at the end of the course that “he couldn't wait for the Alpha evening to come around each week”.

It is planned to run another Alpha again in early 2024.

8 Governance, Fabric and Maintenance

The Parish is led by the Parochial Church Council (PCC) working in partnership with a Ministry Team comprising the clergy, LLMs in training, the Children’s and Families’ minister and key leadership volunteers and staff.

The principal purpose of the PCC is to work with the Rector to ‘promote in the parish the whole mission of the Church’. Each parish is a charity and, as such, PCC members are trustees and subject to the requirements of the Charities Commission. We are also subject to the legislation governing the Church of England and the requirements set out by the Diocese. PCC members are therefore responsible for ensuring all legislation and requirements are followed.

8.1 PCC Membership

Since the last APCM, the PCC has held six planned meetings and two extraordinary meetings (to discuss a proposal to hand back management of Whitley Wood Community Centre to Reading Borough Council, and to approve the Statement of Financial Accounts). All meetings were held in person. The membership of PCC was as follows:

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APCM Report 2023 final

Ex Officio

Rector: The Revd Nick Hill Associate Minister: The Revd Suzanne Knight Pioneer Curate: The Revd Carol Atkins (from 3[rd] July 2022) Church Wardens: Sue Gash Shaun Langley Sarah Simmons Deputy Church Warden: David Spicer (until 28[th] March 2023) Diocesan Synod Member: Joan Walker Elected Deanery Synod Members: Sue Gash Pat Nash Elected PCC Members: Jane Griffiths (2024) Sarah Simmons (2024) Pat Nash (2023) Emma Spicer (until 28[th] March 2023) Mary Morrey (Lay Chair) (2025) Amy Perry (until 3[rd] February 2023) Jackie Vaney (Secretary) (from 1[st] August 2022) (2025) Co-Opted PCC members: Jackie Vaney (Secretary) (until 1[st] August 2022) Richard Winter (Treasurer) Pete Horne (from 1[st] August 2022)

8.2 Activities of the PCC in the past year

PCC is responsible for appointing officers to key roles. Safeguarding, Health & Safety, and Electoral Roll Officer have their own sections in this report. The Treasurer, Secretary and Lay Chair appointments are indicated in the membership list above. Other members of the Treasurer’s team are listed under the ‘Finance Report’ section. Members of the Standing Committee elected were: Nick Hill, Sue Gash, Sarah Simmons and Shaun Langley as Churchwardens, Mary Morrey as Lay Chair; Jackie Vaney as Secretary, and Richard Winter as Treasurer.

PCC also appointed members of the Welcome Team as follows: Debbie Langley; Tracy Godwin; Patricia Harman; Jamie Pinches; Tony Pinches; Jackie Vaney; Simon Vaney, Pam Pinches, Marian Beck; Carol Hussey; Pat Nash.

The Parish Vision has been at the forefront of the PCC’s thinking and actions this year. Our discussions on mission have been reported earlier. We also devoted an Away Day in November to reviewing the church’s progress against our Vision, where we celebrated:

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APCM Report 2023 final

8.3 St Paul’s Redevelopment Project

This year has seen considerable progress, but also more times of waiting and prayer. We are now working with only one of the consortium doctors, Dr Akif from South Reading Surgery. She very much shares our vision for the site, but there have been further delays owing to her need to secure finance, and for the newly formed NHS Integrated Care Board to get up to speed with, and guarantee their support for, the project. There have also been delays with finalising the planning permission, partly owing to a need to split the project into two phases, thus enabling Dr Akif to begin work on the Health Centre without the need for the parish to be ready for building on our part of the site, and partly owing to the very high workload of the Council’s Planning Officer. We remain convinced that this is the best missional use of the land for local people, and so continue to wait on God’s timing for bringing it to fruition.

8.4 Finance report

The 2022 financial information can be found in the Statement of Financial Affairs 2022, available separately. The consolidated accounts across all funds for 2022 show total income of £236,517, with expenditure of £232,977, giving a surplus of £3,540. The Parish General (Operating) Fund for 2022 shows total income of £149,747 with expenditure of £158,508 and a transfer from other funds of £101,199, resulting in a surplus of £92,438.

The initial budget for 2023 agreed by the PCC showed a planned deficit for the General Fund of £10,163. This was based on known regular hall hire commitments for 2023, and the level of regular giving recorded in late 2022. We recently learned that the income from letting church halls will likely be lower than budget due to the recent termination of one of the long term St. Paul’s hall users. Whilst we will defer major expenditures to later in the year where possible, we ask that every member reviews their giving to enable the church to end the year with a surplus. If you are not already giving regularly, we would ask you to consider giving as generously as you can to support our shared ministry and mission by setting up a Direct Debit with the Parish Giving Scheme. Please click the following link for the PGS page for Reading Gateway Church:

https://www.parishgiving.org.uk/donors/find-your-parish/reading-gateway-church-reading/

Richard Winter was our treasurer for most of the year. However, he had to stand down at the beginning of March, owing to ill health. We thank him for all his work over the year, and pray for his continuing recovery. We also give our thanks to Chris Jefferis, Des Long and Rosie Burgess, who have stepped forward to enable bills and salaries to be paid and the 2022 Statement of Accounts to be finalised. We thank David Crane for acting as our Independent Examiner.

Going forward, we recognise that payroll and treasurer roles involve increasingly complex activities, and it can be difficult to find suitably experienced volunteers to fill them. We have recently contracted a payroll company to administer staff salaries and pensions. We may well need to pay for the services of a treasurer as well. Chris Jefferis has offered to continue to administer the bank accounts. Mary Morrey continues as Gift Aid Officer. Owing to what

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APCM Report 2023 final

we hope will continue to be an upward trend in giving, and also the likelihood of the St Paul’s land lease monies being received in 2023, the law requires us to appoint a more qualified Independent Examiner for the 2023 accounts. A proposal will be made to the APCM to appoint Rachel Belshaw, who provides this support to Greyfriars Missionary Trust, Thatcham Baptist Church and Inspire Church London.

8.5 Fabric & Buildings Report

Over this last year we have reduced our expenditure on fabric and buildings works and we have been mainly focusing on general and health & safety maintenance across the parish to ensure our buildings are safe and welcoming.

In the past year we have had a new alarm system fitted and we also upgraded all the sound and visuals along with live streaming camera at our St Barnabas site, funded by a legacy from Paddi Lilley, a long-time member of the congregation.

The storms of the last year caused some damage to our buildings across the parish. All repairs were covered by our insurance, and they have now been completed. We also have completed the works identified in the last quinquennial review. The next quinquennial review will be in Nov 2023.

8.6 Electoral Roll

The parish electoral roll officer, appointed by PCC, is Nina Chandler. From 73 church members on the Electoral Roll at our last meeting the total now stands at 96. 8 people have been removed from the roll, and 31 have been added. This means APCM may elect up to 6 members to PCC.

8.7 Synods

8.7.1 Diocesan synod

Three meetings have been held, June 2022 at St James Centre, Gerrards Cross; November 2022 by Zoom; and March 2023 at the Unipart Conference Centre, Cowley. During these meetings Synod:

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APCM Report 2023 final

2022 was also the year for the holding of the Lambeth Conference with bishops and clergy coming from across the world. This time Covid prevented many from attending, and upset arrangements made for their welfare and entertainment as well as the Conference itself. Despite this, the Conference went well, discussing global issues as they affect the Church and what the Church can do to benefit societies.

In summary an active year for Synod with decisions made which have far reaching implications for the future of churches and for the environment.

8.7.2 Deanery Synod

At Synod meetings this past year reports and discussions have included:

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APCM Report 2023 final

appointment of our own Rector, and the growth of our parish with a new vision, new website and change of name. The Resource Hub has identified the next ‘Areas of Priority’ as: Green Park; the Town Centre, where 6,000 accommodations are being made available; and Loddon Reach, where around 12,000 new residents are expected.

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APCM Report 2023 final

SAFEGUARDING POLICY STATEMENT: PROMOTING A SAFER CHURCH

The following policy was agreed at the Parochial Church Council (PCC) meeting held on 29[th] March 2022

In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy our church is committed to:

The Parish will:

Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church.

Becca Romanovsky is the Parish Safeguarding Officer .

Email: besafe@readinggateway.church

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APCM Report 2023 final

APCM Agenda

The Parish of Reading Gateway Church (St Agnes with St Paul and St Barnabas)

Sunday 30[th] April 2023 at 12 noon

in St Agnes Church, Northumberland Avenue, RG2 8DE

Vestry Meeting Agenda

  1. Welcome

  2. Appointment of Clerk to the Vestry and Annual Parochial Church Meetings

  3. Election of Church Wardens

Annual Parochial Church Meeting

  1. Apologies for absence

  2. Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church meeting held on Sunday 22[nd] May 2022 Agreed by correspondence, and available on request from the Parish Administrator

  3. Matters arising

  4. Presentation of report booklet

  5. Rector’s look ahead

  6. Presentation of Electoral Roll

  7. Election of Deanery Synod representatives

  8. Election of Parochial Church Council members

  9. Presentation of the Financial Report for 2022

  10. Appointment of Independent Examiner of Accounts

  11. Proposals from, and issues raised by, members

a) Proposal from PCC for LLM’s to become ex-officio members of the PCC.

  1. Close

22

Statement of Financial Affairs for the Year ended 31[st] December 2022

Table of Contents

Page Number

Administrative Information 3
Trustees Report 4-6
Independent Examiner’s Report 7
Statement of Financial Activities 8
Balance Sheet 9
Cash Flow Statement 10
Notes to the Financial Statements 11-22
Note 1 Accounting Policies 11-14
Note2 Income 15
Note 3 Expenditure 16
Note 4 Staff Costs & Expenses 17
Note 5 Fixed Assets 18
Note 6 Debtors 19
Note 7 Liabilities 19
Note 8 Analysis of Net assets 20
Note 9 Funds Reconciliation 21
Note 10 SOFA Comparatives 2020 22

2

Administrative Information

The Parish is in the Reading Deanery of the Diocese of Oxford within the Church of England. It is managed by the Parochial Church Council, which is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2020) and is a Charity registered with the Charity Commission. Members of the PCC are registered trustees of the Charity.

Registered Charity Number: 1128198

Registered address & Church Office: St Agnes Church, 292 Northumberland Avenue, Reading RG2 8DE

Telephone: 0118 987 4448 Website: www.readinggateway.church

Trustees and Members of the Parochial Church Council during the year: 2022

Ex Officio

Rector: The Revd Nick Hill Associate Minister: The Revd Suzanne Knight Curate: The Revd Carol Atkins (from 3[rd] July 2022) Church Wardens: Sue Gash Shaun Langley Sarah Simmons (from 22[nd] May 2022) Deputy Church Warden: David Spicer Diocesan Synod Member: Joan Walker Elected Deanery Synod Members: Sue Gash Pat Nash Jane Griffiths (until 29[th] March 2022) Elected PCC Members Jane Griffiths Sarah Simmons Pat Nash Richard Winter (Treasurer) (until 22[nd] May 2022) Helen Winter (until 22[nd] May 2022) Tracy Godwin (until 22[nd] May 2022) Emma Spicer (from 22[nd] May 2022) Mary Morrey (Lay Chair) (from 22[nd] May 2022) Amy Perry (from 22[nd] May 2022) Jackie Vaney (Secretary) (from 1[st] August 2022) Co-Opted PCC members: Mary Morrey (Lay Chair) (until 22[nd] May 2022) Jackie Vaney (Secretary) (until 1[st] August 2022) Richard Winter (Treasurer) (from 22[nd] May 2022) Pete Horne (from 1[st] August 2022) Independent Examiner: David Crane 41 Glendevon Road, RG5 4PL Bankers: NatWest Reading: Reading Oracle Branch, Reading RG1 2AG CCLA: Senator House, London EC4V 4ET

3

Trustees Report

Reading Gateway Church Vision and Values Statement

1. Who we are

We are one church made up of three sites at St Agnes with St Paul and St Barnabas who are:

2. What is our call (Vision)

Our vision is to see ‘South Reading experiencing and being transformed by the Good News of Jesus.’

By Growing Disciples:

By Reaching Out

Objectives of our Parish Ministry

The uses of the financial resources of the parish are tested against this vision. From a financial point of view, the PCC

provides funding for places of worship, ministry and mission; parish halls for the use of the community and outreach.

Since 2010, the PCC has aimed to distribute a ‘Tithe’ of 10% of all unrestricted income, including all voluntary giving and

gift aid and letting income from all three Church Halls to appropriate charitable purposes. During 2022, outstanding monies from previous years were allocated, as well as supporting a number of local and international charities. In

addition, a separate ‘hardship fund’ was set up using specific monetary gifts, to support those known to the church facing particular hardship during the 2022 ‘cost of living crisis’.

4

Activities

Parish Halls

There are halls associated with each of the three churches; the hall at St. Agnes is attached to the church whereas the halls for St. Paul and St. Barnabas are separate buildings.

The halls are used by the church congregations as well as being let commercially for a variety of functions. The letting rates are kept under regular review.

Since November 2016, the PCC has run the Whitley Wood Community Centre (WWCC) on behalf of Reading Borough Council (RBC). This building and its financial activities are identified via a Restricted Fund. The Centre was handed back to RBC at the end of the current contract, in November 2022.

Children’s and Families’ Work

This past year has seen an expansion of our children’s and families’ work.

We have continued 3 weekly church groups and have launched work within 5 different schools. We have built partnerships with other churches and organisations and have been in front of, and shared faith with, over 800 kids and their families, as a ministry. This has been done through a mix of school’s work, events, weekly sessions, Kids Church and working within the community.

Financial Review

Total Incoming and Expended Resources

The consolidated accounts across all funds for 2022 show total income of £236,517, with expenditure of £232,977 giving a surplus of £3,540.

The comparable figures for 2021 show total income of £231,439, with net expenditure of £245,394, giving a deficit of (£13,955).

Parish General (Operating) Fund

The Parish General (Operating) Fund for 2022 shows total income of £149,747 with expenditure of £158,508 and a transfer from other funds of £101,199, resulting in a surplus of £92,438.

The comparable figures for 2021 show total income of £106,795 with expenditure of £178,290 and a transfer from other funds of £18,228, resulting in a net deficit of (£53,267).

Total Parish Assets

The combined total assets of the parish have increased from £287,376 at the end of 2021 to £290,916 at the end of 2022.

Risk Analysis

One of the responsibilities of the PCC is to conduct a risk analysis on the financial situation, to ensure that the continued operation of the church is not jeopardised.

As for 2021, the hall letting income continued to be affected during 2022 due to the restrictions introduced by the Government in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. By mid-2022, the lifting of restrictions enabled hall letting income to recover. This experience prompted PCC to review its reliance on hall hire income, and to note that approximately half of that income is received from only three major hirers. In the current economic climate, too much reliance on a limited pool of hall hirers could pose a risk to the church finances. The increase in ‘giving’ income in 2022 has partially mitigated this risk. PCC is continuing to monitor this risk closely.

The PCC is very reliant on the sale of the leasehold interest to provide the necessary finance to fund the substantial expenses incurred on both development and sale costs of the St. Paul’s site, which now total £150,534 and are carried forward in the accounts as a debtor. Further expenditure will be incurred in 2023

5

both to complete the sale and also to meet the costs arising from planning permission requirements. There is also the requirement to repay the loan from the Diocese.

Further costs of £2,334 for legal advice for the St Paul’s Project continued to draw on the cash reserves during 2022. Although in-principle planning permission was obtained in 2020, a number of factors related to our partnership with the doctors, and completely outside our control, have introduced significant delays into the project. Sufficient progress was made in the second half of 2022 to satisfy the PCC that the lower risk strategy was to continue with the partnership. The situation will be closely monitored in 2023, and, if necessary, the ‘plan B’ option of inviting a social housing developer to buy the lease will be initiated. Therefore, the bridging loan of £80,000 from the Oxford Diocese has been extended to support the cash flow requirement.

The budget for 2023 agreed by PCC showed a planned deficit for the General Fund of £10,163. This was based on known regular hall hire commitments for 2023, and the level of regular giving recorded in late 2022. As noted above, the income from letting church halls will likely be lower than budget due to the recent termination of one of the St. Paul’s hall users. It is anticipated that the impact of any consequent reduction in the income from lettings will be mitigated by a combination of increases in other income, new hall hire agreements and savings made by deferring non urgent capital expenditure. This situation will be monitored through 2023.

As a result the PCC is of the opinion that there is no immediate financial risk to the ministry of the parish.

Capital Expenditure during 2022

Work on the kitchen and the sound & visual equipment at St Agnes, which was begun in 2021, was completed in 2022 when the assets were capitalised and transferred to the General Fund. Further expenditure was incurred in 2022 on the sound & visual equipment and alarm system at St Barnabas and on a new computer for the Church Office.

Reserves Policy

It is the policy of the PCC to keep 4 months of reserves in the General Fund to cover the costs of running the Parish. £158,508 was expended in 2022, leading to a requirement of £53k to be available in reserves at 31[st] December 2022. The actual reserves on the General Fund at 31[st] December 2022 amounted to £147k. Total cash resources available to the Parish amounted to £100k, including £18k for the General Fund. Short term loans can be advanced from Designated and Restricted Funds to the General Fund when required.

In the opinion of the PCC, this provides adequate cover for our Reserves Policy.

6

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of St Agnes with St Paul and St Barnabas Parochial Church Council

I report on the accounts of the church for the year ended 31 December 2022 which are set out on pages 8 to 21.

Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The church's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The church's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of Independent Examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner's Statement has not been updated

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

  1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

  2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and

  3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or

  4. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

David Crane

41 Glendevon Road, Reading RG5 4PL

Date: 27/04/2023

7

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st December 2022


Notes		 Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
Funds
2022		 Total
Funds
2021
£ £ £ £ £
Income from: *see note 10
for
comparatives
Donations and Legacies
2a		 91,842 52,673 9,998 154,513 157,734
Charitable Activities
2b		 2,041 14,975 -
17,016		 35,235
Other Activities
2c		 54,406 200 8,924 63,530 29,320
Investments
2d		 (3,636) -
-
(3,636)		 6,666
Other
2e		 5,094 -
-
5,094		 2,484
Total Income 149,747 67,848 18,922 236,517 231,439
Expenditure on:
RaisingFunds
3a		 190 -
1,328		 1,518 887
Charitable Activities
3b		 146,561 46,445 26,695 219,702 243,178
Other
3c		 11,757 - 11,757 1,329
Total Expenditure 158,508 46,445 28,023 232,977 245,394
Net Income/(Expenditure) (8,761) 21,403 (9,101) 3,540 (13,955)
Transfers between Funds 101,199 (9,936) (91,263) - -
Net Movement in Funds 92,438 11,466 (100,364) 3,540 (13,955)
Total Funds brought
forward (1st Jan)		 54,408 88,134 144,834 287,376 301,331
Total Funds carried
forward (31st Dec)		 146,846 99,600 44,470 290,916 287,376

Approved by the PCC on 20/4/2023

and signed on their behalf by (PCC Chair)

and (Nick Hill, Rector, due to ill health of PCC Treasurer)

8

Balance Sheet at 31[st] December 2022

Balance Sheet at 31st December 2022
Notes
31-Dec-22		 31-Dec-21
Fixed Assets £ £
Tangible Assets 5(a) 76,707 21,064
Investments 5(b) 40,318 44,390
Total Fixed Assets 117,025 65,454
Current Assets
Debtors 6 162,098 213,274
Bank Current accounts 71,234 65,396
CBF Deposit funds 28,844 28,470
Cash 634 -
Total Current Assets 262,810 307,140
Liabilities due in oneyear
Creditors 7 8,919 5,218
Total Current Liabilities 8,919 5,218
Net Current Assets/(Liabilities) 253,891 301,922
Liabilities due after oneyear
Creditors - -
Loans 80,000 80,000
Total Liabilities due after oneyear 80,000 80,000
Total Net Assets 290,916 287,376
Parish Funds
Unrestricted Funds
General 146,846 54,408
Designated 99,600 88,134
Restricted Funds 44,470 144,834
Endowment Funds - -
Total Funds 290,916 287,376

9

Cash Flow Statement at 31 December 2022

Cash Flow Statement at 31 December 2022
2022 2021
£ £
Reconciliation of net income/expenditure
Net Income 3,540 (13,955)
Depreciation 11,707 1,289
Fixed Asset Investments (67,350) (22,353)
Dividends & Interest from Investments 3,636 (6,666)
Decrease/(Increase)in Debtors 51,176 (61,620)
(Decrease)/Increase in Creditors 3,701 (20,137)
Net Cash from Operating Activities 6,410 (123,442)
Cash Flow from Investing/Financial Activities
Dividends and Interest from Investments (3,636) 6,666
Fixed Asset Investments 4,070 (6,613)
(Decrease)/Increase in Loans -
Net Cash provided by/(used) in Investing/Financial
Activities		 434 53
Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents during Year 6,844 (123,389)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at 1st January 93,866 217,255
Cash and Cash Equivalents at 31st December 100,710 93,866
Analysis of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash in Hand 632 0
Bank Current Accounts 71,234 65,396
CBF Deposit Funds 28,844 28,470
Cash and Bank Current and Deposit Accounts at 31st
December		 100,710 93,866

10

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2022

Note 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 and they have been prepared under 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 accruals accounting 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.

Assets

Consecrated and benefice property

In so far as consecrated and benefice property of any kind is excluded from the statutory definition of ‘charity’ by Section 10(2)(a) and (c) of the Charities Act 2011 such assets are not capitalised in the financial statements.

Moveable church furnishings

These are capitalised at cost and depreciated over their useful economic life other than where insufficient cost information is available. In this case the item is not capitalised, but all items are included in the Church’s inventory in any case.

Tangible fixed assets for use by charity

These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £1,000. They are valued at cost or else, for gifts-in-kind, at a reasonable estimate of their open market value on receipt.

Depreciation is calculated to write-off the capitalised cost of fixed assets less their currently anticipated residual fair value over their estimated useful lives as follows: -

No depreciation is provided on buildings as the currently estimated residual value of the properties is not less than their carrying value and the remaining useful life of these assets currently exceeds 50 years, so that any depreciation charges would be immaterial.

An impairment review is carried out at each year-end and any resultant loss identified included in expenditure for the year.

Investments

Investments quoted on a recognised stock exchange or whose value derives from them are valued at market value at the year end. Other investment assets are included at PCC’s best estimate of market value. The investment is held in Income Shares of the CBF Church of England Investment Fund.

Short term deposits

These are the cash held on deposit either with the CCLA or at the bank.

11

Overview of Funds at 31st December 2022

The funds maintained by the PCC, together with the relevant year end balances are shown below:

2022 2021
£ £
Restricted Funds
St. Barnabas BuildingFund 6,886 11,408
St Paul's Re-development Fund 36,257 36,257
WhitleyWood CommunityCentre 0 39,038
St Barnabas 2014(Anon) 1,327 9,386
St. Agnes Kitchen 0 47,375
Short Term Specific Projects
South ReadingChurches Fun Day 0 1,305
EmergencyCharitable Funds 0 64
Total Restricted Funds 44,470 144,834
Designated Funds
Legacies Fund 0 10,000
St. Barnabas LadyChapel 6,990 6,990
Associate Minister 22,869 37,678
Missions and Charities 15,839 6,350
Children and Families Minister 23,914 22,115
Foodwise Reading 7,137 5,000
Parish Nurse 16,785 0
HardshipFund 6,066 0
Total Designated Funds 99,600 88,134
General Fund
PCC General Fund 146,846 54,408
Total Church Funds 290,916 287,376

12

Unrestricted Funds

Unrestricted funds are available or use at the discretion of the PCC in furtherance of the general objectives of the Parish. The main unrestricted fund operated by the PCC is the Parish General or Operating Fund.

Restricted Funds

Restricted funds can only be used for the purposes for which they were donated, unless the PCC asks the original donor for permission to change the purpose of the donation.

The restricted funds operated by the PCC in 2022 were:

St. Barnabas Building Fund

This fund was regarded as being restricted to the completion of the St. Barnabas church building. There is no expectation that the St Barnabas church building will be extended in the way originally envisaged when it was built. After consultation and advice from the diocese the PCC agreed that this fund should be used towards improvements for the St Barnabas church and hall, and additionally this fund could be used to support a part-time member of clergy with primary responsibility for St Barnabas. During 2021 this member of clergy was recruited, and a transfer of £42,288 was made to establish the Associated Minister designated fund. During 2022 this fund was used to partially offset the cost of the purchase of sound and audio equipment at St Barnabas which has now been transferred as a fixed asset to the General Fund.

St. Paul’s Redevelopment Project

The PCC has obtained in-principle planning permission for a scheme comprising a new health centre and church centre on St Paul’s site. A Doctor’s consortium had agreed to pay the Parish for a 125-year lease for the rear of the site, on which to build the health centre. Owing to significant delays introduced by our medical partners and re-organisations within the NHS, full legal planning permission has not yet been granted, although both Reading Borough Council and the Berkshire representatives on the newly formed Integrated Care Board for Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire remain supportive of the project. PCC is still hopeful of a resolution in 2023, but if this cannot be achieved, a project to develop social housing on the site will be pursued.

Whitley Wood Community Centre

This fund was set up in 2016 and came into operation in November 2016 when the PCC took over the lease for the Whitley Wood Community Centre. In some of the early years of operation the General Fund has incorrectly met the costs of the Centre co-Ordinator, which should have been charged to this fund amounting to £27,105. This has been transferred to the General Fund in 2022. The lease has now been terminated and the remaining balance of £9,358, which is due to the Parish for running the Community Centre, has now been transferred to the General Fund following return of management of the Centre to Reading Borough Council in November.

St Barnabas 2014 Fund

A donation of £25,000 was received in 2014 for St Barnabas from an anonymous donor; the fund is to be used at the discretion of the incumbent.

St Agnes Kitchen

Further specific donations and grants were received amounting to £32,375 during 2021 (including an expected gift-aid recovery). In addition the PCC agreed that it was appropriate that £5,000 be transferred from the legacies fund. A donation of £10k was received during 2020 towards the refurbishment of the St Agnes kitchen facilities. Costs of £43,352 were incurred in 2021 and a further £3,755 in 2022 on this project, which is now held as a fixed asset. The project was completed during the first quarter of 2022 at which point the fixed asset was transferred to the general fund and the restricted fund closed.

13

Short Term Specific Projects:

South Reading Churches Fun Day

For several years, the parish has been involved with other churches in the South Reading Churches Fun Day; all the churches contribute toward the cost of the day. This fund has been reassigned to Shift Youth & Community as they have taken over the management of the event.

Emergency Charitable Funds

The balance of the emergency charitable funds has been carried forward for many years and has now been transferred to the Mission and Charities Designated Fund in 2022.

Designated Funds

Designated funds represent amounts set aside by the PCC for use at the discretion of the Fund holder.

The designated funds operated by the PCC are:

Legacies Fund

The PCC policy regarding legacy donations is that the money should not be used for general purposes but should be reserved for something special that values the gift. During 2022, as agreed, this fund was used to partially offset the cost of the purchase of sound and audio equipment at St Barnabas. As a result this fund was closed by transfer to the General Fund when the asset was capitalised.

St. Barnabas Lady Chapel Fund

The purpose of this fund is to provide improved facilities in St Barnabas Church.

Foodwise Reading

Funds are being raised to link with Foodwise Reading to establish a Food Coach service to the those in need in the parish.

Children’s and Families’ Minister

Reading Greyfriars church have agreed to support the parish by funding a Children’s and Families’ Minister post for a period of three years. Any grant payments associated with this project will be held within this designated fund.

Associate Minister

A transfer of £42,288 was made from the St. Barnabas Building Fund in 2021 to fund a part-time clergy post with a focus on St Barnabas.

Missions and Charities Fund

This fund is used to identify the transfer of the annual tithe from the General Fund and record all payments made to charitable organisations from this tithe.

Parish Nurse

Three grants were received during 2002 to fund the newly created position of Parish Nurse (appointed in January 2023).

Hardship Fund

This fund has been established to show the income donated to meet special hardship needs.

14

Note 2 Income:

Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income:
Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total Funds
2022		 Prior Year
Total Funds
2021
Notes £ £ £ £ £
Donations and Legacies 2a
Voluntary Income/Receipts
Tax efficient planned giving 59,374 5,827 0 65,201 54,352
Otherplannedgiving 9,338 369 0 9,707 21,317
Collections at services 1,319 189 0 1,508 1,717
All other giving and voluntary
receipts includingspecial appeals		 353 424 0 777 13,000
Gift Aid Recovered 18,020 1,124 0 19,144 11,011
Legacies received 0 0 0 0 10,000
Grants 3,438 44,740 9,998 58,176 46,336
Sub-total 91,842 52,673 9,998 154,513 157,733
Charitable Activities 2b
Church Activities
StatutoryFees(retained byPCC) 1,202 0 0 1,202 760
Summer Fete 0 0 0 0 0
Mission Tithing 0 14,975 0 14,975 34,365
FundraisingActivities 839 0 0 839 110
Sub-total 2,041 14,975 0 17,016 35,235
Other Trading Activities 2c
Activitiesfor Generating Funds
Church Hall Hire 54,406 200 8,924 63,530 29,320
Sub-total 54,406 200 8,924 63,530 29,320
Investments 2d
Dividends and Revaluation (4,072) 0 0 (4,072) 6,614
Bank Interest 436 0 0 436 53
Sub-total (3,636) 0 0 (3,636) 6,667
Other 2e
Insurance Claim 5,094 0 0 5,094 2,484
Sub-total 5,094 0 0 5,094 2,484
Total Income 149,747 67,848 18,922 236,517 231,439

15

Note 3 Expenditure:
Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total Funds
2022		 Prior Year
Total Funds
2021
Notes £ £ £ £ £
Raising Funds 3a
Activitiesfor Generating Funds
Costs of Generating Income 190 0 0 190 0
Summer Fete 0 0 1,328 1,328 887
Sub-total 190 0 1,328 1,518 887
Charitable Activities 3b
Church Activities
Missiongivingand donations 14,975 6,309 0 21,284 38,158
Diocesan Parish Share 37,722 0 0 37,722 37,696
Salaries/Wages4a 13,938 37,332 17,514 68,784 40,409
Clergy and Staff Expenses 778 0 0 778 1,125
Church Expenses
Mission and Evangelism 8,423 1,013 310 9,746 1,583
Church running expenses 36,092 1,791 5,085 42,969 42,061
Church utilitybills 11,140 0 0 11,140 7,723
Cost of Trading 15,295 0 3,786 19,081 14,466
Major Capital Expenditure 0 0
Major Repairs to the Church 5,544 0 0 5,544 53,474
Major Repairs to Church Hall 0 0 0 0 2,023
Otherpropertyupkeep 2,654 0 0 2,654 4,461
Sub-total 146,561 46,445 26,695 219,702 243,179
Other 3c
PCC Governance Costs 50 0 0 50 40
Depreciation of Fixed Assets 11,707 0 0 11,707 1,289
Sub-total 11,757 0 0 11,757 1,329
Total Expenditure 158,508 46,445 28,023 232,977 245,395

16

Note 4 Staff Costs and Expenses

(a) Staff Costs

2022 2021
Salaries £68,784 £40,409

During the year, the PCC employed 4 salaried people: a part-time Administrative Officer; a Centre Coordinator at the Whitley Wood Community Centre (who is also a member of the PCC); a part-time caretaker at the Whitley Wood Community Centre; and a Children’s and Families’ Minister.

The salaries’ figure also includes an honorarium paid to the music director and the recharged costs from the diocese for the Associate Minister.

The Parish contributed to the People’s Pension scheme and paid employer’s national insurance contributions for the Administrative Officer and the Children’s and Families’ Minister. These totalled £941 in the year.

During the course of the year our three cleaning staff (one of whom was also employed as the part-time caretaker at the Whitley Wood Community Centre), formerly treated as self-employed, became employees. As this happened mid-year the costs are not easily split. Therefore their salaries are reported separately, amounting to £6,335. This cost is not included in the ‘salaries’ figure above.

(b) PCC Costs

No PCC Member received remuneration, benefit or reimbursement of travelling or other expenses, except as detailed below:

One member was employed by the diocese (with the costs recharged to the PCC), as indicated above. Since these recharged payments are included under salaries above, they are not included in the payments to PCC members below.

In total, payments to PCC members amounted to £8,951.50.

17

Note 5 Fixed Assets

5(a) Tangible Fixed Assets and Buildings

The parish has the following depreciating fixed assets:

01-Jan-22 Purchased Depreciation 31-Dec-22
£ £ £ £
Fixed Assets
St Agnes Sound and Vision 6,683 1,799 1,575 6,907
St Agnes New Carpet 2,765 0 615 2,150
St Agnes Alarm System 2,155 0 479 1,676
St Barnabas Hall Boiler 9,462 0 946 8,516
St Barnabas Sound and Vision 0 15,327 3,065 12,262
Parish Office Computer 0 1,082 180 902
St Barnabas Alarm System 0 2,034 136 1,898
St Agnes Kitchen 0 47,107 4,711 42,396
Total 21,064 67,350 11,707 76,707

£10,000 was transferred from the Designated Legacies Fund to help fund the St. Barnabas Sound and Vision project.

£47,375 was transferred from the St Agnes Kitchen Restricted Fund to meet the cost of the new kitchen at St Agnes.

These projects were begun in 2021 and completed in 2022 when the assets were capitalised and transferred to the General Fund.

The total assets of the parish include the following capital assets which the parish owns:

St. Agnes Church Hall

St. Paul's Church Hall

St. Barnabas Church Hall

The church buildings are not considered as PCC assets and are therefore not valued in the accounts. Consecrated and benefice property is excluded from the accounts by s.10(2)(a) & (c) of the Charities Act 2011.

The policy for capitalisation and depreciation of fixed assets as recommended by the Church of England PCC Accountability Guide has been adopted by the PCC as set out in note1 on the accounting policy on assets.

5(b) Investments

5(b) Investments
01-Jan-22
£		 Additions
£		 Change in
Market
Value
£		 31-Dec-22
£
Restricted funds
Investments 44,390 1,179 (5,251) 40,318

The investment is held in Income Shares of the CBF Church of England Investment Fund.

18

Note 6 Debtors

31-Dec-22 31-Dec-21
£ £
Debtors
Gift Aid Reclaims 3,135 9,250
WWCC Grant 0 7,500
Prepayments 2,633 45,990
Other Debtors 3,462 0
Sub-total 9,230 62,740
Other Debtors
St. Paul's Project - Development Costs 102,572 100,238
St Paul’s Project – Lease Sale
Costs		 50,296 50,296
**Sub-total Other Debtors *** 152,868 150,534
Total Debtors 162,098 213,274

*Includes £82,954 in respect of costs incurred prior to 1st January 2019, £55,919 in respect of costs incurred in 2019, £9,259 in respect of costs incurred in 2020, £2,402 in respect of costs incurred in 2021 and costs of £2,334 incurred in 2022 = a total of £152,868.

Note 7 Liabilities

31-Dec-22 31-Dec-21
Amountsfalling due in oneyear £ £
Agency to pass onto 3rd parties 3,005 2,460
Other Creditors 5,914 2,758
Parish Tithes 0 0
Total liabilities due in oneyear 8,919 5,218
Amounts falling due after one
year
Diocese Loan 80,000 80,000
Total Liabilities 88,919 85,218

Some of the balances included in amounts falling due in one year have been carried forward for several years and still have to be reviewed and either resolved or written off.

19

Note 8 Analysis of Net Assets

General
Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
£ £ £ £
Fixed Assets 76,707 0 0 76,707
Investment Assets 0 40,318 0 40,318
Current Assets
CBF Deposit Funds 0 5,064 23,780 28,844
Bank Current Accounts 17,650 54,218 0 71,868
Debtors 140,657 751 20,690 162,098
Total Current Assets 158,307 60,033 44,470 262,810
Current and Deferred Liabilities
Creditors 8,168 751 0 8,919
Liabilities due after 1 Year 80,000 0 0 80,000
Total Liabilities 88,168 751 0 88,919
Total Net Assets 146,846 99,600 44,470 290,916

20

Note 9 Funds Reconciliation
Reserves at
1 Jan 22		 Incoming
Resources		 Resources
Expended		 Transfers Reserves
at 31 Dec
2022
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted Funds
PCC General Fund 54,408 149,747 158,508 101,199 146.846
Designated Funds
Associate Minister 37,678 0 14,809 0 22,869
Children and FamilyMinister 22,115 25,320 23,522 0 23,913
FoodwiseReading 5,000 2,137 0 0 7,137
Legacies 10,000 0 0 (10,000) 0
Missions and Charities 6,350 14,975 5,550 64 15,839
St. Barnabas LadyChapel 6,990 0 0 0 6,990
Parish Nurse 0 19,020 2,235 0 16,785
HardshipFund 0 6,396 330 0 6,066
Total Designated Funds 88,134 67,848 46,446 (9,936) 99,600
Restricted Funds
EmergencyCharitable Funds 64 0 0 (64) 0
Churches Fun Day 1,305 0 1,305 0 0
St. Agnes Kitchen 47,375 0 0 (47,375) 0
St. Barnabas 2014 9,386 0 5,223 (2,838) 1,327
St. Barnabas Building 11,408 0 0 (4,523) 6,886
St. Paul’s Re-Development 36,257 0 0 0 36,257
Whitley Wood Community
Centre		 39,038 18,922 21,497 (36,463) 0
Total Restricted Funds 144,834 18,922 28,023 (91,263) 44,470
Total Funds 287,376 236,517 232,977 0 290,916

Note fund transfers:

Legacies Fund: £10,000 was transferred from the Designated Legacies Fund to help fund the St. Barnabas Sound and Vision project. St. Agnes Kitchen: £47,375 was transferred from the St Agnes Kitchen Restricted Fund to meet the cost of the new kitchen at St Agnes.

St Barnabas 2014: £2,034 was transferred to fund the St. Barnabas Alarm System and £804 was transferred to help fund the St Barnabas Sound and Vision project from the St. Barnabas 2014 Restricted Fund

St Barnabas Building: £4,523 was transferred from the St. Barnabas Building Restricted Fund to help fund the St. Barnabas Sound and Vision project.

Whitley Wood Community Centre: £27,105 was transferred from the Whitley Wood Community Centre to the General Fund representing the costs of the Centre co-Ordinator, which should have been charged to this fund in earlier years. Following final closure of the Centre during the year, the remaining balance of £9,358 was transferred as a management charge to the General Fund.

Emergency Charitable Funds: The balance of £64 was transferred to the Missions and Charities Fund.

21

Note 10 SOFA Comparatives 2021

(Previous year)

Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
Funds
2021
£ £ £ £
Income from:
Donations and Legacies 74,386 39,320 44,027 157,733
Charitable Activities 871 34,365 - 35,236
Other TradingActivities 22,388 - 6,932 29,320
Investments 6,666 - - 6,666
Other 2484 - - 2,484
Total Income 106,795 73,685 50,959 231,439
Expenditure on:
RaisingFunds - - 887 887
Charitable Activities 179,364 35,222 28,593 243,179
Other (1,074) - 2,402 1,329
Total Expenditure 178,290 35,222 31,882 245,395
Net Income/(Expenditure) (71,495) 38,462 19,077 (13,955)
Transfers between Funds 18,228 41,862 (60,090) 0
Net Movement in Funds (53,267) 80,324 (41,013) (13,955)
Total Funds brought forward(1st Jan) 107,675 7,809 185,847 301,331
Total Funds carried forward(31st Dec) 54,408 88,133 144,834 287,376

22

Statement of Financial Affairs for the Year ended 31[st] December 2022

Table of Contents

Page Number

Administrative Information 3
Trustees Report 4-6
Independent Examiner’s Report 7
Statement of Financial Activities 8
Balance Sheet 9
Cash Flow Statement 10
Notes to the Financial Statements 11-22
Note 1 Accounting Policies 11-14
Note2 Income 15
Note 3 Expenditure 16
Note 4 Staff Costs & Expenses 17
Note 5 Fixed Assets 18
Note 6 Debtors 19
Note 7 Liabilities 19
Note 8 Analysis of Net assets 20
Note 9 Funds Reconciliation 21
Note 10 SOFA Comparatives 2020 22

2

Administrative Information

The Parish is in the Reading Deanery of the Diocese of Oxford within the Church of England. It is managed by the Parochial Church Council, which is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2020) and is a Charity registered with the Charity Commission. Members of the PCC are registered trustees of the Charity.

Registered Charity Number: 1128198

Registered address & Church Office: St Agnes Church, 292 Northumberland Avenue, Reading RG2 8DE

Telephone: 0118 987 4448 Website: www.readinggateway.church

Trustees and Members of the Parochial Church Council during the year: 2022

Ex Officio

Rector: The Revd Nick Hill Associate Minister: The Revd Suzanne Knight Curate: The Revd Carol Atkins (from 3[rd] July 2022) Church Wardens: Sue Gash Shaun Langley Sarah Simmons (from 22[nd] May 2022) Deputy Church Warden: David Spicer Diocesan Synod Member: Joan Walker Elected Deanery Synod Members: Sue Gash Pat Nash Jane Griffiths (until 29[th] March 2022) Elected PCC Members Jane Griffiths Sarah Simmons Pat Nash Richard Winter (Treasurer) (until 22[nd] May 2022) Helen Winter (until 22[nd] May 2022) Tracy Godwin (until 22[nd] May 2022) Emma Spicer (from 22[nd] May 2022) Mary Morrey (Lay Chair) (from 22[nd] May 2022) Amy Perry (from 22[nd] May 2022) Jackie Vaney (Secretary) (from 1[st] August 2022) Co-Opted PCC members: Mary Morrey (Lay Chair) (until 22[nd] May 2022) Jackie Vaney (Secretary) (until 1[st] August 2022) Richard Winter (Treasurer) (from 22[nd] May 2022) Pete Horne (from 1[st] August 2022) Independent Examiner: David Crane 41 Glendevon Road, RG5 4PL Bankers: NatWest Reading: Reading Oracle Branch, Reading RG1 2AG CCLA: Senator House, London EC4V 4ET

3

Trustees Report

Reading Gateway Church Vision and Values Statement

1. Who we are

We are one church made up of three sites at St Agnes with St Paul and St Barnabas who are:

2. What is our call (Vision)

Our vision is to see ‘South Reading experiencing and being transformed by the Good News of Jesus.’

By Growing Disciples:

By Reaching Out

Objectives of our Parish Ministry

The uses of the financial resources of the parish are tested against this vision. From a financial point of view, the PCC

provides funding for places of worship, ministry and mission; parish halls for the use of the community and outreach.

Since 2010, the PCC has aimed to distribute a ‘Tithe’ of 10% of all unrestricted income, including all voluntary giving and

gift aid and letting income from all three Church Halls to appropriate charitable purposes. During 2022, outstanding monies from previous years were allocated, as well as supporting a number of local and international charities. In

addition, a separate ‘hardship fund’ was set up using specific monetary gifts, to support those known to the church facing particular hardship during the 2022 ‘cost of living crisis’.

4

Activities

Parish Halls

There are halls associated with each of the three churches; the hall at St. Agnes is attached to the church whereas the halls for St. Paul and St. Barnabas are separate buildings.

The halls are used by the church congregations as well as being let commercially for a variety of functions. The letting rates are kept under regular review.

Since November 2016, the PCC has run the Whitley Wood Community Centre (WWCC) on behalf of Reading Borough Council (RBC). This building and its financial activities are identified via a Restricted Fund. The Centre was handed back to RBC at the end of the current contract, in November 2022.

Children’s and Families’ Work

This past year has seen an expansion of our children’s and families’ work.

We have continued 3 weekly church groups and have launched work within 5 different schools. We have built partnerships with other churches and organisations and have been in front of, and shared faith with, over 800 kids and their families, as a ministry. This has been done through a mix of school’s work, events, weekly sessions, Kids Church and working within the community.

Financial Review

Total Incoming and Expended Resources

The consolidated accounts across all funds for 2022 show total income of £236,517, with expenditure of £232,977 giving a surplus of £3,540.

The comparable figures for 2021 show total income of £231,439, with net expenditure of £245,394, giving a deficit of (£13,955).

Parish General (Operating) Fund

The Parish General (Operating) Fund for 2022 shows total income of £149,747 with expenditure of £158,508 and a transfer from other funds of £101,199, resulting in a surplus of £92,438.

The comparable figures for 2021 show total income of £106,795 with expenditure of £178,290 and a transfer from other funds of £18,228, resulting in a net deficit of (£53,267).

Total Parish Assets

The combined total assets of the parish have increased from £287,376 at the end of 2021 to £290,916 at the end of 2022.

Risk Analysis

One of the responsibilities of the PCC is to conduct a risk analysis on the financial situation, to ensure that the continued operation of the church is not jeopardised.

As for 2021, the hall letting income continued to be affected during 2022 due to the restrictions introduced by the Government in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. By mid-2022, the lifting of restrictions enabled hall letting income to recover. This experience prompted PCC to review its reliance on hall hire income, and to note that approximately half of that income is received from only three major hirers. In the current economic climate, too much reliance on a limited pool of hall hirers could pose a risk to the church finances. The increase in ‘giving’ income in 2022 has partially mitigated this risk. PCC is continuing to monitor this risk closely.

The PCC is very reliant on the sale of the leasehold interest to provide the necessary finance to fund the substantial expenses incurred on both development and sale costs of the St. Paul’s site, which now total £150,534 and are carried forward in the accounts as a debtor. Further expenditure will be incurred in 2023

5

both to complete the sale and also to meet the costs arising from planning permission requirements. There is also the requirement to repay the loan from the Diocese.

Further costs of £2,334 for legal advice for the St Paul’s Project continued to draw on the cash reserves during 2022. Although in-principle planning permission was obtained in 2020, a number of factors related to our partnership with the doctors, and completely outside our control, have introduced significant delays into the project. Sufficient progress was made in the second half of 2022 to satisfy the PCC that the lower risk strategy was to continue with the partnership. The situation will be closely monitored in 2023, and, if necessary, the ‘plan B’ option of inviting a social housing developer to buy the lease will be initiated. Therefore, the bridging loan of £80,000 from the Oxford Diocese has been extended to support the cash flow requirement.

The budget for 2023 agreed by PCC showed a planned deficit for the General Fund of £10,163. This was based on known regular hall hire commitments for 2023, and the level of regular giving recorded in late 2022. As noted above, the income from letting church halls will likely be lower than budget due to the recent termination of one of the St. Paul’s hall users. It is anticipated that the impact of any consequent reduction in the income from lettings will be mitigated by a combination of increases in other income, new hall hire agreements and savings made by deferring non urgent capital expenditure. This situation will be monitored through 2023.

As a result the PCC is of the opinion that there is no immediate financial risk to the ministry of the parish.

Capital Expenditure during 2022

Work on the kitchen and the sound & visual equipment at St Agnes, which was begun in 2021, was completed in 2022 when the assets were capitalised and transferred to the General Fund. Further expenditure was incurred in 2022 on the sound & visual equipment and alarm system at St Barnabas and on a new computer for the Church Office.

Reserves Policy

It is the policy of the PCC to keep 4 months of reserves in the General Fund to cover the costs of running the Parish. £158,508 was expended in 2022, leading to a requirement of £53k to be available in reserves at 31[st] December 2022. The actual reserves on the General Fund at 31[st] December 2022 amounted to £147k. Total cash resources available to the Parish amounted to £100k, including £18k for the General Fund. Short term loans can be advanced from Designated and Restricted Funds to the General Fund when required.

In the opinion of the PCC, this provides adequate cover for our Reserves Policy.

6

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of St Agnes with St Paul and St Barnabas Parochial Church Council

I report on the accounts of the church for the year ended 31 December 2022 which are set out on pages 8 to 21.

Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The church's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The church's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of Independent Examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner's Statement has not been updated

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

  1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

  2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and

  3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or

  4. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

David Crane

41 Glendevon Road, Reading RG5 4PL

Date: 27/04/2023

7

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st December 2022


Notes		 Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
Funds
2022		 Total
Funds
2021
£ £ £ £ £
Income from: *see note 10
for
comparatives
Donations and Legacies
2a		 91,842 52,673 9,998 154,513 157,734
Charitable Activities
2b		 2,041 14,975 -
17,016		 35,235
Other Activities
2c		 54,406 200 8,924 63,530 29,320
Investments
2d		 (3,636) -
-
(3,636)		 6,666
Other
2e		 5,094 -
-
5,094		 2,484
Total Income 149,747 67,848 18,922 236,517 231,439
Expenditure on:
RaisingFunds
3a		 190 -
1,328		 1,518 887
Charitable Activities
3b		 146,561 46,445 26,695 219,702 243,178
Other
3c		 11,757 - 11,757 1,329
Total Expenditure 158,508 46,445 28,023 232,977 245,394
Net Income/(Expenditure) (8,761) 21,403 (9,101) 3,540 (13,955)
Transfers between Funds 101,199 (9,936) (91,263) - -
Net Movement in Funds 92,438 11,466 (100,364) 3,540 (13,955)
Total Funds brought
forward (1st Jan)		 54,408 88,134 144,834 287,376 301,331
Total Funds carried
forward (31st Dec)		 146,846 99,600 44,470 290,916 287,376

Approved by the PCC on 20/4/2023

and signed on their behalf by (PCC Chair)

and (Nick Hill, Rector, due to ill health of PCC Treasurer)

8

Balance Sheet at 31[st] December 2022

Balance Sheet at 31st December 2022
Notes
31-Dec-22		 31-Dec-21
Fixed Assets £ £
Tangible Assets 5(a) 76,707 21,064
Investments 5(b) 40,318 44,390
Total Fixed Assets 117,025 65,454
Current Assets
Debtors 6 162,098 213,274
Bank Current accounts 71,234 65,396
CBF Deposit funds 28,844 28,470
Cash 634 -
Total Current Assets 262,810 307,140
Liabilities due in oneyear
Creditors 7 8,919 5,218
Total Current Liabilities 8,919 5,218
Net Current Assets/(Liabilities) 253,891 301,922
Liabilities due after oneyear
Creditors - -
Loans 80,000 80,000
Total Liabilities due after oneyear 80,000 80,000
Total Net Assets 290,916 287,376
Parish Funds
Unrestricted Funds
General 146,846 54,408
Designated 99,600 88,134
Restricted Funds 44,470 144,834
Endowment Funds - -
Total Funds 290,916 287,376

9

Cash Flow Statement at 31 December 2022

Cash Flow Statement at 31 December 2022
2022 2021
£ £
Reconciliation of net income/expenditure
Net Income 3,540 (13,955)
Depreciation 11,707 1,289
Fixed Asset Investments (67,350) (22,353)
Dividends & Interest from Investments 3,636 (6,666)
Decrease/(Increase)in Debtors 51,176 (61,620)
(Decrease)/Increase in Creditors 3,701 (20,137)
Net Cash from Operating Activities 6,410 (123,442)
Cash Flow from Investing/Financial Activities
Dividends and Interest from Investments (3,636) 6,666
Fixed Asset Investments 4,070 (6,613)
(Decrease)/Increase in Loans -
Net Cash provided by/(used) in Investing/Financial
Activities		 434 53
Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents during Year 6,844 (123,389)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at 1st January 93,866 217,255
Cash and Cash Equivalents at 31st December 100,710 93,866
Analysis of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash in Hand 632 0
Bank Current Accounts 71,234 65,396
CBF Deposit Funds 28,844 28,470
Cash and Bank Current and Deposit Accounts at 31st
December		 100,710 93,866

10

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2022

Note 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 and they have been prepared under 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 accruals accounting 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.

Assets

Consecrated and benefice property

In so far as consecrated and benefice property of any kind is excluded from the statutory definition of ‘charity’ by Section 10(2)(a) and (c) of the Charities Act 2011 such assets are not capitalised in the financial statements.

Moveable church furnishings

These are capitalised at cost and depreciated over their useful economic life other than where insufficient cost information is available. In this case the item is not capitalised, but all items are included in the Church’s inventory in any case.

Tangible fixed assets for use by charity

These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £1,000. They are valued at cost or else, for gifts-in-kind, at a reasonable estimate of their open market value on receipt.

Depreciation is calculated to write-off the capitalised cost of fixed assets less their currently anticipated residual fair value over their estimated useful lives as follows: -

No depreciation is provided on buildings as the currently estimated residual value of the properties is not less than their carrying value and the remaining useful life of these assets currently exceeds 50 years, so that any depreciation charges would be immaterial.

An impairment review is carried out at each year-end and any resultant loss identified included in expenditure for the year.

Investments

Investments quoted on a recognised stock exchange or whose value derives from them are valued at market value at the year end. Other investment assets are included at PCC’s best estimate of market value. The investment is held in Income Shares of the CBF Church of England Investment Fund.

Short term deposits

These are the cash held on deposit either with the CCLA or at the bank.

11

Overview of Funds at 31st December 2022

The funds maintained by the PCC, together with the relevant year end balances are shown below:

2022 2021
£ £
Restricted Funds
St. Barnabas BuildingFund 6,886 11,408
St Paul's Re-development Fund 36,257 36,257
WhitleyWood CommunityCentre 0 39,038
St Barnabas 2014(Anon) 1,327 9,386
St. Agnes Kitchen 0 47,375
Short Term Specific Projects
South ReadingChurches Fun Day 0 1,305
EmergencyCharitable Funds 0 64
Total Restricted Funds 44,470 144,834
Designated Funds
Legacies Fund 0 10,000
St. Barnabas LadyChapel 6,990 6,990
Associate Minister 22,869 37,678
Missions and Charities 15,839 6,350
Children and Families Minister 23,914 22,115
Foodwise Reading 7,137 5,000
Parish Nurse 16,785 0
HardshipFund 6,066 0
Total Designated Funds 99,600 88,134
General Fund
PCC General Fund 146,846 54,408
Total Church Funds 290,916 287,376

12

Unrestricted Funds

Unrestricted funds are available or use at the discretion of the PCC in furtherance of the general objectives of the Parish. The main unrestricted fund operated by the PCC is the Parish General or Operating Fund.

Restricted Funds

Restricted funds can only be used for the purposes for which they were donated, unless the PCC asks the original donor for permission to change the purpose of the donation.

The restricted funds operated by the PCC in 2022 were:

St. Barnabas Building Fund

This fund was regarded as being restricted to the completion of the St. Barnabas church building. There is no expectation that the St Barnabas church building will be extended in the way originally envisaged when it was built. After consultation and advice from the diocese the PCC agreed that this fund should be used towards improvements for the St Barnabas church and hall, and additionally this fund could be used to support a part-time member of clergy with primary responsibility for St Barnabas. During 2021 this member of clergy was recruited, and a transfer of £42,288 was made to establish the Associated Minister designated fund. During 2022 this fund was used to partially offset the cost of the purchase of sound and audio equipment at St Barnabas which has now been transferred as a fixed asset to the General Fund.

St. Paul’s Redevelopment Project

The PCC has obtained in-principle planning permission for a scheme comprising a new health centre and church centre on St Paul’s site. A Doctor’s consortium had agreed to pay the Parish for a 125-year lease for the rear of the site, on which to build the health centre. Owing to significant delays introduced by our medical partners and re-organisations within the NHS, full legal planning permission has not yet been granted, although both Reading Borough Council and the Berkshire representatives on the newly formed Integrated Care Board for Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire remain supportive of the project. PCC is still hopeful of a resolution in 2023, but if this cannot be achieved, a project to develop social housing on the site will be pursued.

Whitley Wood Community Centre

This fund was set up in 2016 and came into operation in November 2016 when the PCC took over the lease for the Whitley Wood Community Centre. In some of the early years of operation the General Fund has incorrectly met the costs of the Centre co-Ordinator, which should have been charged to this fund amounting to £27,105. This has been transferred to the General Fund in 2022. The lease has now been terminated and the remaining balance of £9,358, which is due to the Parish for running the Community Centre, has now been transferred to the General Fund following return of management of the Centre to Reading Borough Council in November.

St Barnabas 2014 Fund

A donation of £25,000 was received in 2014 for St Barnabas from an anonymous donor; the fund is to be used at the discretion of the incumbent.

St Agnes Kitchen

Further specific donations and grants were received amounting to £32,375 during 2021 (including an expected gift-aid recovery). In addition the PCC agreed that it was appropriate that £5,000 be transferred from the legacies fund. A donation of £10k was received during 2020 towards the refurbishment of the St Agnes kitchen facilities. Costs of £43,352 were incurred in 2021 and a further £3,755 in 2022 on this project, which is now held as a fixed asset. The project was completed during the first quarter of 2022 at which point the fixed asset was transferred to the general fund and the restricted fund closed.

13

Short Term Specific Projects:

South Reading Churches Fun Day

For several years, the parish has been involved with other churches in the South Reading Churches Fun Day; all the churches contribute toward the cost of the day. This fund has been reassigned to Shift Youth & Community as they have taken over the management of the event.

Emergency Charitable Funds

The balance of the emergency charitable funds has been carried forward for many years and has now been transferred to the Mission and Charities Designated Fund in 2022.

Designated Funds

Designated funds represent amounts set aside by the PCC for use at the discretion of the Fund holder.

The designated funds operated by the PCC are:

Legacies Fund

The PCC policy regarding legacy donations is that the money should not be used for general purposes but should be reserved for something special that values the gift. During 2022, as agreed, this fund was used to partially offset the cost of the purchase of sound and audio equipment at St Barnabas. As a result this fund was closed by transfer to the General Fund when the asset was capitalised.

St. Barnabas Lady Chapel Fund

The purpose of this fund is to provide improved facilities in St Barnabas Church.

Foodwise Reading

Funds are being raised to link with Foodwise Reading to establish a Food Coach service to the those in need in the parish.

Children’s and Families’ Minister

Reading Greyfriars church have agreed to support the parish by funding a Children’s and Families’ Minister post for a period of three years. Any grant payments associated with this project will be held within this designated fund.

Associate Minister

A transfer of £42,288 was made from the St. Barnabas Building Fund in 2021 to fund a part-time clergy post with a focus on St Barnabas.

Missions and Charities Fund

This fund is used to identify the transfer of the annual tithe from the General Fund and record all payments made to charitable organisations from this tithe.

Parish Nurse

Three grants were received during 2002 to fund the newly created position of Parish Nurse (appointed in January 2023).

Hardship Fund

This fund has been established to show the income donated to meet special hardship needs.

14

Note 2 Income:

Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income: Note 2 Income:
Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total Funds
2022		 Prior Year
Total Funds
2021
Notes £ £ £ £ £
Donations and Legacies 2a
Voluntary Income/Receipts
Tax efficient planned giving 59,374 5,827 0 65,201 54,352
Otherplannedgiving 9,338 369 0 9,707 21,317
Collections at services 1,319 189 0 1,508 1,717
All other giving and voluntary
receipts includingspecial appeals		 353 424 0 777 13,000
Gift Aid Recovered 18,020 1,124 0 19,144 11,011
Legacies received 0 0 0 0 10,000
Grants 3,438 44,740 9,998 58,176 46,336
Sub-total 91,842 52,673 9,998 154,513 157,733
Charitable Activities 2b
Church Activities
StatutoryFees(retained byPCC) 1,202 0 0 1,202 760
Summer Fete 0 0 0 0 0
Mission Tithing 0 14,975 0 14,975 34,365
FundraisingActivities 839 0 0 839 110
Sub-total 2,041 14,975 0 17,016 35,235
Other Trading Activities 2c
Activitiesfor Generating Funds
Church Hall Hire 54,406 200 8,924 63,530 29,320
Sub-total 54,406 200 8,924 63,530 29,320
Investments 2d
Dividends and Revaluation (4,072) 0 0 (4,072) 6,614
Bank Interest 436 0 0 436 53
Sub-total (3,636) 0 0 (3,636) 6,667
Other 2e
Insurance Claim 5,094 0 0 5,094 2,484
Sub-total 5,094 0 0 5,094 2,484
Total Income 149,747 67,848 18,922 236,517 231,439

15

Note 3 Expenditure:
Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total Funds
2022		 Prior Year
Total Funds
2021
Notes £ £ £ £ £
Raising Funds 3a
Activitiesfor Generating Funds
Costs of Generating Income 190 0 0 190 0
Summer Fete 0 0 1,328 1,328 887
Sub-total 190 0 1,328 1,518 887
Charitable Activities 3b
Church Activities
Missiongivingand donations 14,975 6,309 0 21,284 38,158
Diocesan Parish Share 37,722 0 0 37,722 37,696
Salaries/Wages4a 13,938 37,332 17,514 68,784 40,409
Clergy and Staff Expenses 778 0 0 778 1,125
Church Expenses
Mission and Evangelism 8,423 1,013 310 9,746 1,583
Church running expenses 36,092 1,791 5,085 42,969 42,061
Church utilitybills 11,140 0 0 11,140 7,723
Cost of Trading 15,295 0 3,786 19,081 14,466
Major Capital Expenditure 0 0
Major Repairs to the Church 5,544 0 0 5,544 53,474
Major Repairs to Church Hall 0 0 0 0 2,023
Otherpropertyupkeep 2,654 0 0 2,654 4,461
Sub-total 146,561 46,445 26,695 219,702 243,179
Other 3c
PCC Governance Costs 50 0 0 50 40
Depreciation of Fixed Assets 11,707 0 0 11,707 1,289
Sub-total 11,757 0 0 11,757 1,329
Total Expenditure 158,508 46,445 28,023 232,977 245,395

16

Note 4 Staff Costs and Expenses

(a) Staff Costs

2022 2021
Salaries £68,784 £40,409

During the year, the PCC employed 4 salaried people: a part-time Administrative Officer; a Centre Coordinator at the Whitley Wood Community Centre (who is also a member of the PCC); a part-time caretaker at the Whitley Wood Community Centre; and a Children’s and Families’ Minister.

The salaries’ figure also includes an honorarium paid to the music director and the recharged costs from the diocese for the Associate Minister.

The Parish contributed to the People’s Pension scheme and paid employer’s national insurance contributions for the Administrative Officer and the Children’s and Families’ Minister. These totalled £941 in the year.

During the course of the year our three cleaning staff (one of whom was also employed as the part-time caretaker at the Whitley Wood Community Centre), formerly treated as self-employed, became employees. As this happened mid-year the costs are not easily split. Therefore their salaries are reported separately, amounting to £6,335. This cost is not included in the ‘salaries’ figure above.

(b) PCC Costs

No PCC Member received remuneration, benefit or reimbursement of travelling or other expenses, except as detailed below:

One member was employed by the diocese (with the costs recharged to the PCC), as indicated above. Since these recharged payments are included under salaries above, they are not included in the payments to PCC members below.

In total, payments to PCC members amounted to £8,951.50.

17

Note 5 Fixed Assets

5(a) Tangible Fixed Assets and Buildings

The parish has the following depreciating fixed assets:

01-Jan-22 Purchased Depreciation 31-Dec-22
£ £ £ £
Fixed Assets
St Agnes Sound and Vision 6,683 1,799 1,575 6,907
St Agnes New Carpet 2,765 0 615 2,150
St Agnes Alarm System 2,155 0 479 1,676
St Barnabas Hall Boiler 9,462 0 946 8,516
St Barnabas Sound and Vision 0 15,327 3,065 12,262
Parish Office Computer 0 1,082 180 902
St Barnabas Alarm System 0 2,034 136 1,898
St Agnes Kitchen 0 47,107 4,711 42,396
Total 21,064 67,350 11,707 76,707

£10,000 was transferred from the Designated Legacies Fund to help fund the St. Barnabas Sound and Vision project.

£47,375 was transferred from the St Agnes Kitchen Restricted Fund to meet the cost of the new kitchen at St Agnes.

These projects were begun in 2021 and completed in 2022 when the assets were capitalised and transferred to the General Fund.

The total assets of the parish include the following capital assets which the parish owns:

St. Agnes Church Hall

St. Paul's Church Hall

St. Barnabas Church Hall

The church buildings are not considered as PCC assets and are therefore not valued in the accounts. Consecrated and benefice property is excluded from the accounts by s.10(2)(a) & (c) of the Charities Act 2011.

The policy for capitalisation and depreciation of fixed assets as recommended by the Church of England PCC Accountability Guide has been adopted by the PCC as set out in note1 on the accounting policy on assets.

5(b) Investments

5(b) Investments
01-Jan-22
£		 Additions
£		 Change in
Market
Value
£		 31-Dec-22
£
Restricted funds
Investments 44,390 1,179 (5,251) 40,318

The investment is held in Income Shares of the CBF Church of England Investment Fund.

18

Note 6 Debtors

31-Dec-22 31-Dec-21
£ £
Debtors
Gift Aid Reclaims 3,135 9,250
WWCC Grant 0 7,500
Prepayments 2,633 45,990
Other Debtors 3,462 0
Sub-total 9,230 62,740
Other Debtors
St. Paul's Project - Development Costs 102,572 100,238
St Paul’s Project – Lease Sale
Costs		 50,296 50,296
**Sub-total Other Debtors *** 152,868 150,534
Total Debtors 162,098 213,274

*Includes £82,954 in respect of costs incurred prior to 1st January 2019, £55,919 in respect of costs incurred in 2019, £9,259 in respect of costs incurred in 2020, £2,402 in respect of costs incurred in 2021 and costs of £2,334 incurred in 2022 = a total of £152,868.

Note 7 Liabilities

31-Dec-22 31-Dec-21
Amountsfalling due in oneyear £ £
Agency to pass onto 3rd parties 3,005 2,460
Other Creditors 5,914 2,758
Parish Tithes 0 0
Total liabilities due in oneyear 8,919 5,218
Amounts falling due after one
year
Diocese Loan 80,000 80,000
Total Liabilities 88,919 85,218

Some of the balances included in amounts falling due in one year have been carried forward for several years and still have to be reviewed and either resolved or written off.

19

Note 8 Analysis of Net Assets

General
Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
£ £ £ £
Fixed Assets 76,707 0 0 76,707
Investment Assets 0 40,318 0 40,318
Current Assets
CBF Deposit Funds 0 5,064 23,780 28,844
Bank Current Accounts 17,650 54,218 0 71,868
Debtors 140,657 751 20,690 162,098
Total Current Assets 158,307 60,033 44,470 262,810
Current and Deferred Liabilities
Creditors 8,168 751 0 8,919
Liabilities due after 1 Year 80,000 0 0 80,000
Total Liabilities 88,168 751 0 88,919
Total Net Assets 146,846 99,600 44,470 290,916

20

Note 9 Funds Reconciliation
Reserves at
1 Jan 22		 Incoming
Resources		 Resources
Expended		 Transfers Reserves
at 31 Dec
2022
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted Funds
PCC General Fund 54,408 149,747 158,508 101,199 146.846
Designated Funds
Associate Minister 37,678 0 14,809 0 22,869
Children and FamilyMinister 22,115 25,320 23,522 0 23,913
FoodwiseReading 5,000 2,137 0 0 7,137
Legacies 10,000 0 0 (10,000) 0
Missions and Charities 6,350 14,975 5,550 64 15,839
St. Barnabas LadyChapel 6,990 0 0 0 6,990
Parish Nurse 0 19,020 2,235 0 16,785
HardshipFund 0 6,396 330 0 6,066
Total Designated Funds 88,134 67,848 46,446 (9,936) 99,600
Restricted Funds
EmergencyCharitable Funds 64 0 0 (64) 0
Churches Fun Day 1,305 0 1,305 0 0
St. Agnes Kitchen 47,375 0 0 (47,375) 0
St. Barnabas 2014 9,386 0 5,223 (2,838) 1,327
St. Barnabas Building 11,408 0 0 (4,523) 6,886
St. Paul’s Re-Development 36,257 0 0 0 36,257
Whitley Wood Community
Centre		 39,038 18,922 21,497 (36,463) 0
Total Restricted Funds 144,834 18,922 28,023 (91,263) 44,470
Total Funds 287,376 236,517 232,977 0 290,916

Note fund transfers:

Legacies Fund: £10,000 was transferred from the Designated Legacies Fund to help fund the St. Barnabas Sound and Vision project. St. Agnes Kitchen: £47,375 was transferred from the St Agnes Kitchen Restricted Fund to meet the cost of the new kitchen at St Agnes.

St Barnabas 2014: £2,034 was transferred to fund the St. Barnabas Alarm System and £804 was transferred to help fund the St Barnabas Sound and Vision project from the St. Barnabas 2014 Restricted Fund

St Barnabas Building: £4,523 was transferred from the St. Barnabas Building Restricted Fund to help fund the St. Barnabas Sound and Vision project.

Whitley Wood Community Centre: £27,105 was transferred from the Whitley Wood Community Centre to the General Fund representing the costs of the Centre co-Ordinator, which should have been charged to this fund in earlier years. Following final closure of the Centre during the year, the remaining balance of £9,358 was transferred as a management charge to the General Fund.

Emergency Charitable Funds: The balance of £64 was transferred to the Missions and Charities Fund.

21

Note 10 SOFA Comparatives 2021

(Previous year)

Unrestricted
Funds		 Designated
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
Funds
2021
£ £ £ £
Income from:
Donations and Legacies 74,386 39,320 44,027 157,733
Charitable Activities 871 34,365 - 35,236
Other TradingActivities 22,388 - 6,932 29,320
Investments 6,666 - - 6,666
Other 2484 - - 2,484
Total Income 106,795 73,685 50,959 231,439
Expenditure on:
RaisingFunds - - 887 887
Charitable Activities 179,364 35,222 28,593 243,179
Other (1,074) - 2,402 1,329
Total Expenditure 178,290 35,222 31,882 245,395
Net Income/(Expenditure) (71,495) 38,462 19,077 (13,955)
Transfers between Funds 18,228 41,862 (60,090) 0
Net Movement in Funds (53,267) 80,324 (41,013) (13,955)
Total Funds brought forward(1st Jan) 107,675 7,809 185,847 301,331
Total Funds carried forward(31st Dec) 54,408 88,133 144,834 287,376

22