## St. Peter’s Church Petersfield
## The Annual Review 2024
1
## **CONTENTS**
|**1. VESTRY AND ANNUAL CHURCH MEETING AGENDA**|**3**|
|---|---|
|**2. THE VICAR’S REPORT ON 2024**|**4**|
|**3. ELECTORAL ROLL**|**5**|
|**4. SAFEGUARDING SUMMARY**|**6**|
|**5. CHURCHWARDENS’ REPORT OF THE YEAR**|**7**|
|**6. DEANERY SYNOD REPORT**|**8**|
|**7. FINANCE SUMMARY**|**9**|
|**8. ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2024**|**10**|
|**9. REPORTS ON CHURCH ACTIVITIES**|**13**|
|**Annex A – Minutes of 2024 APCM**||
2
## **AGENDA for VESTRY MEETING AND ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING**
St Peter’s Church at 11am on Sunday,11[th] May 2025 Chairman: Revd. Canon Will Hughes (Vicar)
## **A VESTRY MEETING**
1. Prayers
2. Election of Churchwardens
## **B ANNUAL CHURCH MEETING**
3. Apologies
4. Minutes of the meeting held on **Sunday 12th May 2024** _(Annex A)_
5. Elections to the Parochial Church Council (PCC)
_**Under the Synodical Government Measure 1969, only members on the Electoral Roll are entitled to vote at any election for lay members of the Parochial Church Council**_
6. Report and Election of Electoral Roll Officer
7. Vicar’s Report
8. Safeguarding update
9. A.O.B & date of next meeting
3
## Vicar’s Report
2024 was a busy year, which several key events including the civic service for Hampshire council, and the hustings for the general election which was, once again, hosted by St Peter’s.
I want to draw particular attention to the concerts programme. Started by David Francombe, this has developed under the leadership of the parish office team. This year we hosted a record number of concerts and community events. There were 7 school concerts and 22 community concerts, as well as Mark’s series of four recitals, and exhibitions by the Petersfield photographic Society and the Hampshire Calligraphers. Most of these concerts had refreshments provided by the wonderful hospitality team of volunteers. Each of these are a major contribution to the life and culture of Petersfield, as well as a missional activity, in which people find a welcome in the church, and become aware of its ministry and place in the town.
On top of this, we hosted a very successful flower festival, based around the church year and the vestments of St Peter’s. It was a wonderful display which generated many visitors, all of whom were greeted by the hospitality volunteers. As well as being a huge success in its own right, it has generated an interest in the vestments which led to the gift of new altar frontals, and to 2025’s poppy campaign. We’re deeply grateful to Christine and Rosemary with their team for making this happen.
The fete was once again a happy and successful gathering, despite the absence of a curate to organise it! We’re deeply grateful to all those who ran stalls and took part to make it such a special occasion.
The impact of the 2023 giving campaign became visible, and it was clear that people and responded with generosity in response to the mission and ministry of St Peter’s. In 2024 we marked Generosity week by thanking givers for their generosity, and with a renewed invitation to use the simple methods of giving, rather than the ones which, still used by some, require a great deal of administration, mostly done by the wonderful Debbie.
The meditation groups continue to thrive, with 6-10 people at each session. The Tuesday night programme has offered huge value for several years, mostly due to the leadership and ministry of Vanda and Penny and the team. Attendance, however, has begun to tail off, and we’ll need to look at a new model for this in 2025. Refresh continues to be a vital and valued part of our ministry, with regular attendance of more than 70 people. We are hugely grateful to the team who lead this ministry through baking, hospitality, setting up and washing up. The social prescribers from the NHS continue to use the meeting room every week, and their role is growing as people get used to it.
We’ve received a very generous grant to employ a children and families worker, and after a few rounds of advertising where we did not appoint, we are exploring different ways of fulfilling this role. This has the potential to open up a new area of our life and ministry, building on our schools work and our ‘Play together’ toddler group, which Sally Hughes and Sam Hammond have continued to lead for a long time with great success.
The church hall is used by different organisations, but its poor condition is beginning to affect bookings. We need to make the most of that huge asset to our life and ministry, and ensure it remains a resource into the future. A working group led by Steve, our treasurer, is working on plans for this, with the very generous support of Richard Bell, who has given a great deal of his time and expertise.
The installation of cameras in the churchyard had an immediate effect of decreasing anti-social behaviour, and though we are still waiting for the installers to lower the profile of the cameras according to the agreed specification, the cameras have been very useful, and the police have made use of recordings on several occasions.
4
In August we bid farewell to Rev’d Alison Waterhouse, who went to serve in Salisbury Diocese. In September Rev’d Helen Mitchell retired from priestly ministry, though we continue to value her part in the meditations, and hope she will be licenced for ministry as a retired priest soon. In October it was a joy to be joined by Rev’d Amanda Simm, who came to us for the last part of her curacy. She has added greatly to the life and ministry of St Peter’s, and we will be sorry to see her go in June, as she takes up her new post in Blackmoor and Whitehill. Rev’d Tom Cooper was ordained Deacon in June to serve primarily in Buriton, though he also preached and led evensong in St Peter’s. He will (God willing) be ordained priest at Petertide 2025.
I want, as ever, to record my admiration and gratitude for the many different ministries and gifts which make St Peter’s a living church. The reports here are a reflection of the wonderful array of ways in which God calls, uses and fulfils each of us as we listen and respond to God’s invitation to be part of God’s great work in the church, the town and beyond. Thank you for your part in this.
We’re deeply grateful to Rev’d Helen, Rev’d Amanda and Bishop Ian, to our church wardens, Penny and Martin, and to our outstanding staff team: Hattie and Sam in the office, Mark, our director of music, Steve, our caretaker, Julia, our book-keeper and Charry, who cleans the hall and servery area.
Attendance statistics for 2024 and the preceding decade are below. The advent figures are slightly lower as we were more rigorous in not counting attendance at events which were more a concert than a service:
||**2015**|**2016**|**2017**|**2018**|**2019**|**2020**|**2021**|**2022**|**2023**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Baptisms|25|23|27|22|21|5|19|28|10|16|
|Weddings|9|14|14|16|7|2|7|8|3|2|
|Funerals: church|25|31|32|24|22|10|24|23|18|20|
|Funerals: crematoria|27|19|28|14|23|38|25|21|17|19|
|Burial of ashes|1|16|9|10|2|0|7|11|8|5|
|Average adults|161|172|181|177|149|125|120|139|119|145|
|Average children|19|23|26|22|16|9|9|11|7|9|
|Christmas|1089|1190|1221|1232|1199|309|410|770|877|944|
|Easter|409|412|383|366|354|---|209|276|239|325|
|Advent|7010|6653|6773|4140|5466|417|2527|4238|4445|4141|
## Electoral Roll
At the time of writing we have just finished the 2025 renewal of the electoral roll.
We have 197 members on our roll.
If you live in the Parish or attend St. Peter’s on a regular basis you are entitled to be on the Parish Electoral Roll, which gives you the right to vote at Annual Church Meetings and to serve on the PCC. Application forms are available from the Parish Office .
Sam Hammond and Hattie Hughes, Parish Office
5
## Safeguarding report
I am delighted to report that we have an excellent take-up of safeguarding training amongst our volunteers who need the relevant courses. These consist of Basic, Foundation, Leadership, Domestic Abuse and Safer Recruitment. During the year some of us have also learnt about Scams, Welcoming Ex-Offenders, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery and Spiritual Abuse.
The Parish Dashboard is the place where DBS and training records for our volunteers and employees are kept. It has a traffic light system. So if somebody’s details, such as DBS or safeguarding training, need to be renewed or updated (which is every 3 years), I receive an email 3 months beforehand. Their name then goes amber until done, when it reverts to green. Only if something is out-of-date does it go red. The Parish Dashboard is 100% up-to-date with no red lights.
There is also a hub on the Parish Dashboard with all the different types of volunteer roles. We have 33 different roles and 55 active people. For most roles a Job Description is produced and approved by the PCC. It mentions whether a DBS is needed or not, and which safeguarding courses have to be completed. The Learning and Development Framework set by the National Safeguarding Team is now our code and not guidance. Put simply, volunteers need to complete relevant safeguarding courses for their roles in order to keep children and vulnerable adults safe.
If a safeguarding issue comes up then it is handled in the correct way by our trained team in consultation with the professionals at the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. The protection of children and vulnerable adults is paramount, and any criminal activity is reported to the Police. You may rest assured that all are safe in church or at any church activity.
I would like to say just how much I appreciate the fact that everybody has been completing their training so willingly. Thank you very much. Thank you also to Hattie Hughes who does the DBS work in the Parish Office so very efficiently. It is a pleasure to be your Parish Safeguarding Officer. Thank you for entrusting me with the responsibility.
Alison Gauld Safeguarding Officer
6
## Churchwardens’ Report
We thank you all for being you, for being part of St Peter’s, for your generosity in gifts, time and talents. We are interdependent, blessed both in giving and receiving and it is our joy and privilege to serve God. Everyone is precious and matters, and we need each one of you and want you to discover what God calls you to be and do.
We thank you for your individual ministries in all aspects of church life, ringing the bells, in worship, with music in singing and playing of instruments, reading, prayers, preaching, playing with little ones and supporting families, nurturing the young, giving talks and leading discussions, performing and hosting concerts, simply getting together in the pub, visiting the housebound, supporting those who are sad, protecting the vulnerable, keeping us all safe, making the church and church yard look beautiful and drawing in visitors, by arranging flowers (and with a stunning flower festival), by launching the Poppy Project, for the beautiful new altar frontals, scrubbing the floors, polishing the brass, cleaning the silver, tending to the flower beds, sweeping paths, encouraging eco-action (including swift boxes), welcoming at the door, listening and having conversations, offering hospitality, procuring the provisions, baking and serving cakes, pouring the tea and coffee, doing the washing up, cleaning the loos, archiving old papers, counting the money, handling the finances, fundraising such as running the fete, planning ahead, organising, imagining, making things possible, the list goes on, whatever it is you do, we thank you wholeheartedly for your kindness, willingness, effort and enthusiasm.
We thank you for your financial support, which is vital for the life and mission of St Peter’s. We are increasingly dependent on your generosity and we dare to ask for your continued support, for as much as you are able to give.
We thank you for helping to make St Peter’s a place where everyone feels welcome. It is our desire to make sure that each individual, including those who prefer quiet as well as those who exercise little and loud voices, is at ease and is able to participate fully in worship and in the life of our church.
We would like to express our particular thanks to our outstanding team: Mark, our Director of Music; Hattie (working as operations manager) and Sam (also volunteering as leader of Play Together) in the parish office; Steve, our caretaker; Charry, our cleaner; Julia, our book keeper. We are grateful to Steve, our treasurer. We would like to thank our ministry team: Alison, our curate until she left in March; Amanda, our curate since August; Helen, our associate priest (up to September); our retired clergy, Bishop Ian; our reader, Melanie; our Lay Worship Leader and Preacher, Kate; André and Tom, who are mostly based in Buriton.
And lastly, we wish to express our particular gratitude to you Will, our vicar, for your wonderful ministry, selflessly serving, humbly leading, patiently walking alongside us, steadfastly inspiring, gently nurturing and faithfully pointing us all to Christ. We thank you.
Thank you all for another fruitful year and it has been our privilege to be your churchwardens.
Penny Bell and Martin How Churchwardens
7
## Petersfield Deanery Synod
The Deanery Synod is part of the way the Church of England gives people at different levels a chance to discuss key issues and organise the church's ministry and mission. It sits between the parishes with their Parochial Church Councils (PCCs) and the full diocese, with its Diocesan Synod. It is convened by an Area Dean and Lay Chair and consists of all the licensed clergy in the Deanery and lay people elected by the parishes at their Annual Parish Church Meeting. The lay members serve for three years and the most recent elections took place at APCMs in 2023.
The Lay Chair is Vanda Leary of St Peter’s Petersfield. Rev’d Dr Susie Collingridge (Steep & Froxfield with Privett) is Area Dean. Amanda Greenlee is Deanery Secretary, and David Normington is Deanery Treasurer. The main work of the Deanery Synod over the past year has continued to be working together to support growth. Over the last year this has included:
- A pilot of “Experience Easter” with interactive prayer stations for school children, held in Froxfield and Greatham churches, attended by around 280 children in all.
- Collation of activity and approaches to spirituality and discipleship across the deanery, to form a basis for sharing of ideas and further development.
- One-to-one conversations across parishes regarding mission, evangelism and outreach, and sharing of ideas including “How village churches thrive”
- Further development of lay vocations, with 10 people commissioned as lay preachers
- Petersfield Deanery Chapter starting to work together in a Diocesan pilot of “Cairns” – Benedictine style networks to support clergy wellbeing and further develop collaborative working for mission.
In October we heard the sad news of the death of Maggie Johnson of Hawkley. Maggie had been a member of deanery synod for well over a decade and at the time of her death was a very active member of her PCC, Deanery synod, and Diocesan Synod. She will be missed greatly.
Deanery Synod acts as the electorate to Diocesan Synod, and elections took place in 2024. At time of writing, there are still vacant seats to represent the deanery in the House of Laity of Diocesan Synod. All are encouraged to consider whether this could be a role for them – it is not necessary to already be a member of Deanery Synod.
I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the continuing life of this deanery, in particular the Standing Committee which consists of Vanda Leary, Neil Chrimes, David Normington, Amanda Greenlee, Lynn Carter, Rev’d Dr Susie Collingridge, Rev’d Peter Sutton, Rev’d Valentine Inglis-Jones.
Vanda Leary, Lay Chair, Petersfield Deanery Synod
8
**----- Start of picture text -----**
PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER`S PETERSFIELD
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
Note Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total UnrestrictedRestricted Endowment Total
Funds Funds Funds Funds Funds Funds Funds Funds
2024 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 2023 2023
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM: £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Voluntary income 2a 165,846 45,790 0 211,636 143,102 0 0 143,102
Activities for generating funds 2b 25,051 0 0 25,051 19,567 0 0 19,567
Church activities 2d 31,919 0 0 31,919 33,409 0 0 33,409
Investments 2c 17,423 992 5,508 23,923 15,908 210 5,677 21,795
Rentals 2e 12,220 0 0 12,220 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 252,459 46,782 5,508 304,749 211,986 210 5,677 217,873
EXPENDITURE ON:
Costs of generating funds 3b 2,316 0 0 2,316 1,204 0 0 1,204
Church activities 3a 210,608 6,200 0 216,808 221,048 300 0 221,348
Other resources expended 3c 3,660 327 0 3,987 5,359 2,124 0 7,483
TOTAL 216,584 6,527 0 223,111 227,611 2,424 0 230,035
NET -EXPENDITURE/INCOME 35,875 40,255 5,508 81,638 -15,625 -2,214 5,677 -12,162
INVESTMENT -LOSSES/GAINS 12,195 0 4,474 16,669 45,545 0 16,924 62,469
TRANSFER BETWEEN FUNDS 5,700 -192 -5,508 0 5,588 90 -5,678 0
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS 53,770 40,063 4,474 98,307 35,508 -2,124 16,923 50,307
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS:
Total funds brought forward 909,627 11,695 197,898 1,119,220 874,119 13,819 180,975 1,068,913
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD £963,397 £51,758 £202,372 £1,217,527 £909,627 £11,695 £197,898 £1,119,220
**----- End of picture text -----**
9
PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELD
BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2024
Unrestrki•d Regtrf¢ted EfyJfrwm•rf Tfrt•l LknreBtrl¢t•¢ Rtrf¢tth Endryrn Totsi
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funds
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2024
2024
2024
2024
2023
2023
23
2023
FIXED ASSETS
rangib*A5sets
301,071
546.104
301.071
202.372 748.476
¥Jl.390
532.987
X)1.380
720.885
197.898
T¢wi Fiwd As8ats
847.175
202.372 1.049,547
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197.898 1.032.285
CURRENT ASSETS
580
2.283
19,744
107.089
Debiofs
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1.258
19.744
83,837
19,744
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19,744
69,759
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129,696 $2.300
161,
91,269
14.078
105,347
LIABILITIES..
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14.016
14.018
18.392
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THE FUNDS OF THE C•IARITh:
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.397
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## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELD**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
|**PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDRCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCOUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDST PETER'S PETERSFIELDT PETER'S PETERSFIELDS PETERSFIELD PETERSFIELDSFIELDFIELD**|**PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDRCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCOUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDST PETER'S PETERSFIELDT PETER'S PETERSFIELDS PETERSFIELD PETERSFIELDSFIELDFIELD**|**PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDRCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCOUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDST PETER'S PETERSFIELDT PETER'S PETERSFIELDS PETERSFIELD PETERSFIELDSFIELDFIELD**|**PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDRCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCOUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDST PETER'S PETERSFIELDT PETER'S PETERSFIELDS PETERSFIELD PETERSFIELDSFIELDFIELD**|**PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDRCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDH COUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCOUNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDNCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDCIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDIL OF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDOF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDF ST PETER'S PETERSFIELDST PETER'S PETERSFIELDT PETER'S PETERSFIELDS PETERSFIELD PETERSFIELDSFIELDFIELD**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTSOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTSTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTSS TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTSO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCIAL STATEMENTSIAL STATEMENTSSTATEMENTSTATEMENTSS (continued)ntinued)tinued)inued)ued)**|||||||||
||||||||||
|**YEAR ENDED31 DECEMBER 2024**|||||||||
||||||||||
|**2.Income and endowments**|**Unrestricted **|**Restricted **|**Endowment**|**Total**|**Unrestricted RestrictedEndowment Total**|**Unrestricted RestrictedEndowment Total**|**Unrestricted RestrictedEndowment Total**|**Unrestricted RestrictedEndowment Total**|
||**Funds**|**Funds**|**Funds**|**Funds**|**Funds**|**Funds Funds**|**Funds Funds **|**Funds**|
||**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|**2023**|**2023**|**2023**|**2023**|
||£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|
|(a) **Voluntary income**|||||||||
|Planned giving : Gift aid donations|87,390|0|0|87,390|79,726|0|0|79,726|
|: Tax recoverable|21,848|0|0|21,848|21,232|0|0|21,232|
|Collections|40,078|0|0|40,078|39,911|0|0|39,911|
|Donations, appeals etc.|5,030|45,790|0|50,820|2,233|0|0|2,233|
|Legacies|11,500||0|11,500|0|0|0|0|
||165,846|45,790|0|211,636|143,102|0|0|143,102|
||||||||||
|(b) **Activities forgenerating funds**|||||||||
|Fund raising|20,260|0|0|20,260|12,844|0|0|12,844|
|200 Club income|450|0|0|450|2,080|0|0|2,080|
|Refresh income|4,341|0|0|4,341|4,643|0|0|4,643|
||||||||||
||25,051|0|0|25,051|19,567|0|0|19,567|
||||||||||
|(c) **Income from investments**|||||||||
|Dividends and interest|17,423|992|5,508|23,923|15,908|210|5,677|21,795|
||||||||||
|(d) **Income from church activities**|||||||||
|Parish Hall Income|14,950|0|0|14,950|14,252|0|0|14,252|
|PCC Fees|15,848|0|0|15,848|18,091|0|0|18,091|
|Feed in Tariff|1,121|0|0|1,121|1,066|0|0|1,066|
||31,919|0|0|31,919|33,409|0|0|33,409|
||||||||||
||||||||||
|**(e) Larcombe Road Income**|||||||||
|Rentals|12,220|0|0|12,220|0|0|0|0|
||||||||||
||12,220|0|0|12,220|0|0|0|0|
||||||||||
|**Total incoming resources**|£252,459|£46,782|£5,508|£304,749|£211,986|£210|£5,677|£217,873|
||||||||||
11
|**PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETERS'S PETERSFIELD**|**PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETERS'S PETERSFIELD**|**PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETERS'S PETERSFIELD**|**PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST PETERS'S PETERSFIELD**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**NOTES TO THE FINANCIALSTATEMENTS (continued)**|||||||||
|**YEAR ENDED31 DECEMBER 2024**|||||||||
||||||||||
|**3.Expenditure**|||||||||
||||||||||
||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Endowment**|**Total**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Endowmen**|**t Total**|
||**Funds**|**Funds **|**Funds**|**Funds**|**Funds**|**Funds **|**Funds**|**Funds**|
||**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|
||£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|
|(a) **Church activities**|||||||||
|Missionary & charitable giving|||||||||
|Home|5,638|0|0|5,638|6,143|0|0|6,143|
|Overseas|1,850|0|0|1,850|2,775|0|0|2,775|
||7,488|0|0|7,488|8,918|0|0|8,918|
|Ministry: Diocesan parish share|109,728|0|0|109,728|104,503|0|0|104,503|
|: Other Costs|55,653|800|0|56,453|60,604|300|0|60,904|
|: PDBF Fees|5,555|0|0|5,555|7,364|0|0|7,364|
|Church running and maintenance|17,858|0|0|17,858|24,442|0|0|24,442|
|Church hall running costs|7,294|0|0|7,294|5,170|0|0|5,170|
|Curate's House|5,951|0|0|5,951|9,454|0|0|9,454|
|Stonework project|0|0|0|0|-1,119|0|0|-1,119|
|Alter Frontal deposit|0|5,400|0|5,400|0|0|0|0|
|Printing and stationery|542|0|0|542|1,016|0|0|1,016|
|Depreciation|309|0|0|309|473|0|0|473|
|Bank charges|230|0|0|230|223|0|0|223|
||210,608|6,200|0|216,808|221,048|300|0|221,348|
||||||||||
|(b) **Costs ofgenerating funds**|||||||||
|Flower festival expenses|1071|0|0|1,071|300|0|0|300|
|200 Club expenses and prizes|667|0|0|667|452|0|0|452|
|Refresh costs|578|0|0|578|452|0|0|452|
||2,316|0|0|2,316|1,204|0|0|1,204|
||||||||||
|(c)**Other resources expended**|||||||||
|Accounting & Examiners fees|3,660|0|0|3,660|3,660|0|0|3,660|
|Architects fees|0|0|0|0|0|2,124|0|2,124|
|Legal fees|0|327|0|0|1,699|0|0|1,699|
||3,660|327|0|3,987|5,359|2,124|0|7,483|
||||||||||
||||||||||
|**Total resources expended**|£216,584|£6,527|£0|£223,111|£227,611|£2,424|£0|£230,035|
||||||||||
||||||||||
12
## Reports on Church Groups and Activities
## Music Report
2024 didn’t quite rise to the heights of celebrating a coronation or of hosting the Archbishop of Canterbury, but nonetheless, things have not stood still within the choir. The Augmented Choir sang not only at the Nine Lessons and Carols in December but also in the summer for the Patronal Festival Evensong at which we also commemorated the centenary of the deaths of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford and Gabriel Fauré.
In November we had the ‘return match’ for the Archbishop of Canterbury service and travelled to All Saints’ Church, Botley and joined the choir there in singing Fauré’s Requiem in the context of a BCP Eucharist on Remembrance Sunday evening with organ and string quartet accompaniment. At the end of the summer term we marked the retirement of Gina Stretton from the choir after sixteen years of very loyal service with a small presentation at the end of her final service and a lunch party to follow. She is very much missed within the choir and especially amongst the altos! At the other end of the age range I started a children’s groups that started meeting on Fridays after school, St Peter’s Young Singers (SPYS). However, some even younger children – or rather their parents – got wind of this and so a second group was formed, which I call Little SPYS. The ‘original’ SPYS have sung at one or two services now, including Carols for the Town and are making good progress in their training. There is plenty of room for more SPYS, though older newcomers would now need to be in a third group so as not to feel a bit swamped! What we _do_ need is more adults in the choir – I am very happy with the way the choir sings but this is actually a case of more is less: the more singers, the less the burden on all. So do have a chat to me or any of the regulars about what is involved.
I say it every year, but with no less meaning: thank you to all the singers who put in so much time and effort into their choir work and to the clergy for their continuing support and encouragement.
## Mark Dancer
## Bellringing
We are fortunate to have a very large thriving band at St Peter’s, composed of all ages from 12-86. With more ringers than any tower in the district, weekly practices have been very well attended and we have been able to ring all eight bells every Sunday morning throughout 2024.
The general condition of the bells, bell frame and headstocks remains in reasonable condition and regular maintenance checks have taken place throughout the year. The Simulator installation took place during February and is now used regularly as a training resource for the band.
Bells No1 and No4 do both have some damage to their soundbow, although no immediate work is required. Bell No1 has chips where the chiming bell hammer strikes, and although minor, could allow for crack propagation to start, so will be monitored over time.
Bell No4 is suffering with age – being a Robert Catlin bell of 1750 it has severe indentations in the soundbow. This bell has been turned previously for the same problem (it is understood that bells of this manufacture and age tend to be softer bronze and damage more easily over time). As with Bell No1, damage is likely to need attention in the coming years.
Several of our younger ringers are members of the Winchester & Portsmouth Diocesan Guild (W&P) Young Ringers’ team and took part in the National Youth Ringers competition in London during the Summer (including ringing at St Mary-le-Bow), and came a creditable 2nd place overall.
Many of our band attended the annual 12-bell practice at Winchester cathedral in August, and in December rang on the 12 bells at Guildford cathedral on our District’s Christmas outing. We held our annual Ringers Dinner and rang for various Christmas services including the Advent Carol Service and at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Following ringing for the 9.30am Parish Communion at St Peter’s every Sunday, we now additionally assist other nearby churches with their Sunday service ringing later in the day - regularly ringing for services at
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Steep and Rogate (where there is no band), and additionally supporting the local bands for service ringing at East Meon, Hawkley, Milland and Selborne on a weekly or monthly basis. Brian Underwood
Tower Captain, St Peter’s
## Junior Church
Junior Church still meet once a month for a family breakfast. It is lovely to see the parents getting to know each other and the children forming a good bond. We then enjoy games, a teaching session and craft. The team, Sally, Alice, Hattie and Sam, make sure that the children are all involved and enjoy coming to share their church experience with each other. Hazel Town
## Sacristan’s report
I am pleased to report that everything is running smoothly in the Sacristy. Having been your Sacristan since 2019, I should know what I am doing by now!
After the Flower Faith and Fabric Festival last May when many of the church textiles were on display, it was realised that some were past their best. Consequently the highlight of the year has been the donation of the new green altar frontal and lectern fall, together with a new purple altar frontal. These were made by Juliet Hemingray of Derby. The green ones depict the grape and the grain for the body and blood of Christ at Holy Communion and reflect the cross which we use at 9.30am services. The purple one echoes the passionflower motif on our ambo fall, intertwined with the cross keys of St Peter. It also reflects the PreRaphaelite tiles behind the altar in the orphreys of lilies. So there is great religious significance for the Vicar’s sermons, not just in Ordinary Time, but also in Advent and Lent.
Our Caretaker has ingeniously designed a holder and method of attaching the new lectern fall to the lectern, for which we are indebted.
The red and white altar frontal which is used at Christmas has a Madonna and Child motif in the centre. This frontal is very old but much loved. So some of the embroiderers in the congregation are planning to get together to refurbish those metal threads which have come loose, and couch them back into place. During the year as Sacristan I worked with one of the Church Wardens to ensure that a full description of the new textiles was entered into the terrier, so that a full and proper record can be kept for NADFAS.
Some more purificators have been made out of our extra lavabo towels. All altar cloths have been marked as either under-cloths, altar-cloths or covers for each of the 3 altars, lady chapel, nave or high altar. This makes it easier to put them away in the right place, and quicker to access when needed. Two chasubles and stoles were carefully washed: the green and purple.
Thank you to all the Laundry Ladies, Gill Clarke, Madeline King, Lynne Pitt, Mary Putnam, and Gina Stretton. We do need one more to join the team if anybody is willing. Thanks also go to Dorothy Leeming for cleaning the silver before Christmas and Easter. We always have a Christmas tea to say thank you which is a very enjoyable occasion.
Alison Gauld, Sacristan
## Servers Report
During the course of the year servers have been provided to all services where required. These include Sunday 8:00 and 9:30, Friday and Saturday Holy Communions as well as other special services. We remain short of acolytes but provide them for major services and hope to re-introduce them regularly for the Sunday 9:30 .
It is a great privilege to serve at the altar and to participate in the celebration of Holy Communion in this way. There is scope for more people to join the team, particularly the Sunday 9:30 service so please do contact me.
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Finally thanks to : All the team for their quiet efficient help, Alison Gauld for her firm grip on all things sacristy related, Bob Buckingham for taking on the role of candlestick maker (butcher and baker done by other groups!)
Martin How Head Server
## Verger’s report
I would like to thank Sue Walker for helping with verger duties when I broke my arm at the end of November 2024. Also Steve Sargent for helping me with moving heavy furniture since then. I have been verger for 2 weddings, 11 funerals and 3 memorial services. I have continued collecting money from donations, at the services, for different charities and putting it in the safe for the cash counters. Madeline King
## Cash Counting
Two Members of the St. Peter’s cash counting team continue to meet weekly to count and bank all monies received by St. Peter’s from regular service collections, funerals, weddings, baptisms, carol services, etc.. In addition, cash funds also emanate from concerts, the wall safe, the pricket stand and the Parish Office. This task can take anything from one to two hours on an ordinary week but up to three or four hours over busy periods, such as Christmas and Easter.
At present, we are a team of eight and my thanks go to each and every one of the eight for the stalwart work which they undertake in a quiet, unseen, and efficient manner ensuring that correct and secure procedures are adhered to at all times. My particular thanks go to Jill Hancock who decided to stand down after a great many years of service and also Richard Perry for agreeing to join the team.
As ever, I would be very pleased to hear from anybody who would be interested to explore joining the team. Wendy Gillam
## Caretaker's Report
It's been another happy year of both variety and routine. Regular jobs include setting up and tidying up the Refresh Café, rearranging furniture and staging for concerts (and putting everything back for Sunday mornings); preparing for funerals, clearing the gutters and drainpipes, putting the bins out, some gardening at the hall, maintaining supplies of cleaning materials, locking the church daily at 3pm, adjusting the clock, repairing anything that breaks and scrubbing the church floor. In addition, I made an improved camera mount for the live-stream (the picture is no longer dominated by the backs of people's heads!) and I made and installed some iron handrails in the bell tower for the safety of our ringers when negotiating the steep spiral stairs. I improved the lights on the 'Star of Bethlehem' and fixed it on the roof of the tower. I am happy to report that the star remained brightly lit for two months and withstood several storms and gales. I made a second illuminated star to go on the Christmas tree...which nearly touched the ceiling in the south aisle. Additionally, my 'a cappella' singers, The Free Radicals, have been delighted to return in Lent and Advent to give meditative recitals of seasonal choral music. Steve Sargent
## Church cleaning
The church has been kept clean and tidy this year by a faithful and hard-working team. Some come in weekly or fortnightly to care for a section of the building; these are Jane Fuller, Sheila Gadd, Felicity Heal, Linda Hutton, Dorothy Leeming, Gill Medcalf, Yvonne Murfitt, Sonia Ratsey, Rosemary Roberts, Susan Terry and Sue Walker. With the increase in carol services and concerts through the year there is a greater need for sweeping and washing the floor, so our cleaners have to work even harder! Special thanks to Sonia who after many years of cleaning, has decided to step down. Her place will be taken by Melanie Bray.
15
Others take responsibility for one month to polish the brass wall plaques, namely Melanie Bray, Jane Gunning, Linda Hutton, Judith Newbigging, Lynn Perris, Rosemary Roberts and Sue Walker. In addition, Christine Rushton organises turn-up sessions to polish the brass chair plaques.
I have heard visitors remark on how bright, clean and well cared-for our church looks. We are most appreciative of those people who take on this satisfying though unsung task, and would love to hear from you if you’d like to join our team. Kate Perry
## Fabric
The condition of the fabric of St Peter’s Church is in good order, with minor matters being attended to as required and no major items pending. Electrical, Heating and Fire installations are tested as required and only routine repairs and battery replacements were required in 2024. The PCC has agreed a small budget for ongoing stonework repairs to prevent minor deterioration escalating rapidly. This is a preventative measure to help keep us in good order.
The church hall interior is now very dated and the exterior in need of significant maintenance. A task group was asked to look at ways to improve both the users experience and preserve the 120-year-old structure. This will make proposals to the PCC later in the year.
I would like to offer a special thanks to Steve Sargeant our caretaker for the very skilled and sympathetic way in which he looks after the day today running and repair of the building. It is an extremely valuable contribution to life at St Peter’s.
Martin How
## Churchyard Team
We are all obviously shocked and saddened by the recent death of our team-leader, Peter Fisher. Peter appeared to do a lot of “pottering” in the churchyard and the surrounding area, but actually achieved a tremendous amount in his own quiet way. We will miss him very much. Rest in peace, Peter.
The Council workmen have been a big help over the past year. They kindly cut back the pyracantha hedge along the boundary wall for us – a daunting task when one is five foot two and ‘of riper years’! They also came along with leaf blowers and a big truck to remove the vast quantity of leaves in the garden of remembrance in the autumn. This alone would usually take us weeks. The garden waste bags are emptied regularly and if they are occasionally missed, a quick word with one of the crew has it dealt with.
Thanks to a very generous donation, we were able to purchase and plant a new hedge of Ilex crenata to replace the box, which had succumbed to box tree moth and which was no longer viable. Special thanks are due to Steve Sargent who not only dug out all the old plants and roots, but stored and transported the new ones on planting day – we really would have struggled without his help. The hedge is being carefully tended and will soon bush up to become a lovely feature around this peaceful space. There is another, smaller hedge surrounding and hiding the compost area.
There are now just four regular team members, with occasional help in specific spaces and, as a consequence, we are aware that some of the general maintenance work is being sidelined in favour of other priorities. Weeding around the edges of the church building and paths is particularly time-consuming and difficult to manage if we don’t want to use weedkillers, but those areas are often the first that visitors see.
Each year a plea is issued for more help, but, thus far, unsuccessfully! Perhaps would-be volunteers imagine they need the combined skills of Monty Don and Joe Swift, but this is far from the truth. All you really need is a willingness to spend an hour or so once a week, fortnight, month, in beautiful surroundings. We generally meet on Mondays at around 10am, but only because that suits us, your choice of day/time would be entirely up to you. There are jobs to suit all interests and abilities, sweeping; edging; weeding – they all offer free vitamin D, a great sense of achievement and the heartfelt gratitude of both
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visitors and the rest of the team! Give it a try – come and find one of us on a Monday or leave a name and contact number at the office and one of us will get in touch for a (no obligation) chat. Di Wakefield
## Flower Guild
The flower team continued to be busy throughout the year decorating the church for the main festivals and the fortnightly arrangement by the altar. Occasionally we are asked to do a commemorative arrangement which is in place for the nearest Sunday on our rota, the funding for these requests are made via the Parish Office. We are also very grateful for the occasional donations given.
In May we held the Flowers, Faith & Fabrics Festival in St Peter’s which had been instigated by Rev. Alison Waterhouse before she left. This was a big event for the flower team to plan and we were very grateful to the many helpers who assisted in the mechanics, setting up in the days before, providing the refreshments each day and the stewards at the event. The four day event displayed many of the altar frontals, chasubles, stoles, copes and fabrics we have in St Peter’s with flower arrangements complimenting them. This event brought many hundreds of people into the church and also raised much needed funds for St Peter’s. The team meet quarterly on a Thursday (timing it with St Peter’s Refresh café!) to plan our rota and welcome anyone interested in joining us. No experience is necessary just an enjoyment of flowers and a willingness to help and learn.
Yvonne Murfitt
## Pastoral Committee
The purpose of the Pastoral Committee is to support those members of our church family who are experiencing difficulties in their lives, for whatever reason.
At our meetings we share news and pray for parishioners who are in hospital, ill at home, bereaved, or unable to attend church, as well as those we have missed seeing for a while. We then agree to follow up with a visit, phone call or card and also liaise with the clergy and Home Communion team. For those who require practical support we do our best to offer assistance in any way we can, for example with lifts to church.
As a group we aim to be a friendly presence at the regular church services, and at Refresh, in order to welcome new people and develop our caring community at St Peter’s.
The Pastoral Group has met five times over the year. Thanks go to valuable committee members who have stepped down – Jane Fuller, Wendy Gillam, Sylvia Roberts and Revd Amanda Sim. We look forward to welcoming three new people – Sheila Gadd, Gill Medcalf and Lynn Perris, who will join Melanie Evans, Linda Lemmon and Kate Perry.
Kate Perry
## Home Communions
Again this year regular Home Communion has been taken to those people who are unable to attend one of the regular weekly services. These people may have physical disabilities including mobility problems, or be recovering from hospitalisation or have a myriad of other reasons to be housebound.
The Home Communion team consists of Clergy, and seven Lay Ministers. I would like to warmly thank Alison Gauld who has decided, after a number of years, to step back from this Ministry and also welcome to the team two new Lay Ministers, Jane Bell and Mary Putnam.
Generally speaking, Home Communion is taken to each person once or twice a month depending on their choice and the ministry is very much attuned to the needs of each recipient. In addition to visiting individuals in their own homes or nursing homes, nine at present, the team also attend Cremorne Place where a regular weekly service is held in the communal lounge on Wednesday. Numbers at Cremorne vary from week to week. Over and above our regular communicants we also take communion to people who are temporarily incapacitated, perhaps following a fall.
17
A shortened form of Communion service is used and consecrated tinctured wafers are distributed - the wafers (and wine) having been consecrated as part of one of the main services.
Please speak to Will or I if you would be interested in joining the Team or you know of anybody that would benefit from receiving Home Communion.
With many thanks to all the members of the team for their continued ministry. Wendy Gillam
## Play Together
We have had another enjoyable year at Play Together with more new families continuing to join. Our four year olds moved on to school in September and our regulars are families with younger children which entails more free-play & less craft. This changes the dynamics especially the enthusiasm shown at singing and music time. Some families are joining the extra Easter activities at St Peter’s.
The council grant provided a large number of new & diverse play equipment, creating more themed play areas. We are very grateful to our team of volunteers who help every Monday during school term-time at this thriving playgroup. Please speak to us if you are interested in joining the team making drinks and refreshments for families & helping set up/clear away the toys.
Sally Hughes and Sam Hammond
## Reader’s report
During 2024 I was the only Reader in St. Peter’s Church. My role includes Gospelling at the 9.30 Eucharist, acting as deacon, preaching, teaching, leading non-eucharistic services, and taking home communion to church members at home, a member of the Pastoral Committee and several other volunteer roles. Readers are not ordained but are licensed by our Diocesan bishop.
Readers are pastorally supported, by their incumbent and Diocesan staff. The annual conference this year took place at The Meon Valley Golf & Country Club. The weekend was led by The Hopeweavers Community which enabled us to reflect on God’s amazing love through creative crafts and to take advantage of the grounds. We brought home their booklet containing a simple daily office of morning, midday, evening and night prayer. The 2026 conference will also be held at the same venue. Our Warden of Readers Revd. Anthony Rustell moved from Portsmouth up to Dorking prior to our 2025 Conference and progress is being made on the appointment of a new Warden. After the death of Hilary Spurgeon our Deputy Warden of Readers in 2023, the work that she did is now being undertaken by Jan Clarke. Our own sub warden, Eleanor Childs who worships at St. Mary’s, Liss continues to look after the Readers in this Deanery.
The Diocese is planning to issue a Reader/LLM Advent Booklet 2025 based on Psalm 104. Those of us who have offered to contribute are given just one verse to write a reflection/response. Melanie Evans Reader
## Refresh Café
Another very successful year with ever more customers. Having the Social Prescribers in the meeting room on a Thursday encourages more people to come and check us out which is very good.
One morning Will counted how many customers were sitting down at 11am - a whopping 77! This is why we have been looking for more volunteers for washing up, general duties, cake making and have developed a new role from 10.30am to 11.30am of support in helping during that very busy time. Refresh has a wonderful team of volunteers, but we can always do with more.
This year we have enjoyed more D of E volunteers with their large variety of cakes and enthusiasm. Refresh is only so successful because of the hard work and dedication of all our volunteers. Thank you all.
Christine Rushton
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## Church hall
The church hall has a good mix of regular users and occasional bookings or charity events and parties. We have lost a couple of regular hirers this year but continue to welcome a diverse mix of people and groups – everything from Muslim Friday prayers to drama groups, and from toddler group to wargaming! There has been no major fabric work this year, and Steve Sargent has dealt with all the minor works. The increase in rates does not seem to have affected our bookings, but we try to keep prices to a minimum, especially for charities.
Charry Sargent, the hall cleaner, continues to keep the hall beautifully, and the users appreciate her work. Hattie Hughes
## Sidespeople
It has been another busy year for the Sides People; St Peter’s certainly has many services, of every liturgy, shape and size! The role of Sides Person is one that, by necessity, has to be carried out with great diligence but often with little recognition. I would like to record my grateful thanks to all those who week by week fulfil the role graciously and who agree to do additional duties, often at the busiest times of the year. I am delighted to note that Tom Thompson has agreed, during the year, to join the team - thank you and welcome. I would also like to thank Rosemary Roberts who has taken the lead on organising the Sunday Evensong rota for which I am very grateful.
I should like to propose that the following group of individuals be elected as Sides People for 2025: Vivienne Bradley, Bob Buckingham, Hazel Buckingham, Neil Challen, Gill Clarke, Jane Fuller, Sheila Gadd, Wendy Gillam, Derrie Greef, Jill Hancock, Sam Hammond, Felicity Heal, Maureen Hilliar, Linda Hutton, Sue Mazzey, Gillian Medcalf, Jan Moore, Barry Murfitt, Lynn Perris, Kate Perry, Richard Perry, Mary Putnam, Debbie Reed, Rosemary Roberts, Tom Thompson, Paula Tribe, Christine Tully, Jill Watts, Anne Wheeldon, Val Wood and Colin Worsford.
Finally, we are looking for new members to join the team, if you feel that you would like to get involved please do get in touch. Derrie Greef
## Discipleship & Spirituality
The heartbeat of St Peter’s is strong, every day of the week! In addition to the regular Sunday services, morning prayer is said each day, there’s the Friday 11 O’clock Holy Communion (BCP) and Saturday 9.30 Holy Communion. The votive candle stand, along with the prayer trees for Ukraine and the Holy Land, hold significant importance. There’s been weekly provision on Tuesday nights, with a discussion prepared and led by Vanda on the first Tuesday, intercessory prayer (lay led) on the second), a talk given by Will, or one of the clergy, on the third, and a gathering in the pub on the fourth. Meditation sessions on Monday evenings and Tuesday mornings have become an integral part of life at St Peter’s, with nearly twenty people regularly attending across both sessions. The bespoke Lent Course, ‘ _CONFIDENCE’, The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear (Psalm 27)_ , written by our vicar, Will, was held on Tuesday nights and Thursday lunchtimes and was much appreciated. In April, we were treated to Bishop Ian’s session, “ _The Resurrection of Jesus Christ”_ . In the autumn, Confirmation classes were held and the candidates were confirmed in St Peter’s in December. We are very grateful to our vicar, Will, and to all those individuals who have led or supported these sessions.
Penny Bell
## Bible Study group
We are a small, friendly group that meets once a fortnight in each other's homes. We start with a cup of tea & then prayers. We work our way through a book of the Bible using the Bible & a study guide. We have just finished Luke’s Gospel & after Easter will start on Ephesians. The group is ideal for those with little knowledge of the Bible but are curious to know more. Lynn Carter
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## Concerts
As usual there was a full programme of well attended lunchtime, afternoon and evening concerts at St. Peter’s this year. There were 32 concerts which varied from school concerts, solo recitals, lecture recitals, orchestral concerts, organ recitals, choral concerts and chamber music. There were three concerts given as part of the Petersfield Musical Festival one of which was dedicated to the memory of Anne Pinhey who contributed so much to the music of Petersfield.
Not only do these concerts encourage people into the church, but they have raised over £6,000 for church funds as well as voluntary donations to charities such as The Rosemary Foundation and the Royal British Legion.
None of these concerts could take place without the wonderful team of volunteers who host them, sell and prepare refreshments during the interval.
Having spoken to musicians who organise concerts in venues similar to St Peter’s, I feel that the fees which are charged for performing in the church could well be increased. Margaret Humphrey Clark
## Church Watch
We continue to keep the church open to welcome people to not only the church but to the town. Petersfield is a warm friendly town and we are an open door.
People come to church for many reasons. To see our beautiful Norman church, to light a candle, to see the stained glass windows or the Memorial plaques, to pray, to see our wonderful organ or for a chat. We are short of volunteers for this important ministry. Can you commit 2 hours once a fortnight 1-3 pm? Madeline King
## Eco group
We have now written an environmental policy for St Peter’s Church which is displayed in the porch. We continue working in the Bee & Butterfly Garden in the Church hall, a family of blue tits made use of the nest box last year & we now have a bird bath in situ.. The swift boxes were installed on the Church tower late last summer so we wait to see if any birds will take up residence this year. We also ran an upcycling stall at the Church fete. The vegetarian cookbooks are still available for sale. 2 of our members attended the ‘Net Zero Carbon Conference 2025’ at Portsmouth Cathedral. St Peter’s is supporting the ‘Young Green Anglicans’ initiative in Mozambique as part of our Silver Eco Church award. Lynn Carter
## PACT (Petersfield Area Churches Together)
We are without a rep on the PACT committee at present. If you would be interested in this role, please contact the parish office.
## PACT Food Bank
Petersfield Food Bank is a registered charity supported by PACT. Operating out of the Methodist church, Tuesday and Friday mornings, supplying bags of tinned and packaged foods to families referred by one of the Food Bank referral agencies. Monday and Wednesday mornings, we receive and sort donated food and make up bags for distribution. Fresh food cannot be accepted and all food must be in date. Any food going out of date is taken to The Hub at the railway station. Financial donations can be gift aided. Donations of food have fallen this year, supplies are replenished using donated funds. Vouchers for clients to purchase fresh food from the market are offered.
In 2024 1513 packs were issued helping 2323 adults and 1442 children. Rosemary Roberts
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## St Peter’s, Petersfield
## **ANNEX A**
Minutes of the APCM 2024 Annual Parochial Church Meeting St. Peter’s Church, Petersfield 12[th] May 2024
Rev’d Will Hughes welcomed all and opened the meetings in prayer.
Attendees:
Rev’d Canon Will Hughes (chair)
Jane Bell, Penny Bell, Chrissy Brooker, June Brooks, Jane Cameron, Catherine Castle, David Castle, Neil Challen, Diana Collins, Mark Dancer, John Deavin, Gillian Druce, Melanie Evans, Geraldine Everett, Peter Fisher, Alison Gauld, Wendy Gillam, Stephanie Grenfell, Gillian Hancock, Maureen Hilliar, Steve Hitchmough, Martin How, Sally Hughes, Pauline James, Madeline King, Roger Lacey, Vanda Leary, Melanie Moore, Sonia Ratsey, Debbie Reed, Rosemary Roberts, Alan Rushton, Christine Rushton, Natalie Shaw, Christine Tully, Jill Watts, Anne Wheeldon, Kathleen Wigmore
Ian Brackley (non-voting, as PTO clergy)
**VESTRY MEETING** – open to all who live in Petersfield or on the St Peter’s electoral roll.
There were 2 nominations for the office of church warden, Martin How and Penny Bell. Martin and Penny were unanimously elected.
**ANNUAL PAROCIAL CHURCH MEETING** – open to those on the St Peter’s church electoral roll Apologies were received from:
Richard Bell, Vivienne Bradley, Lynn Carter, Sheila Gadd, Derrie Greef, Sam Hammond, Brian Hargreaves, Felicity Heal, Hattie Hughes, Brenda James, Richard & Kate Perry, Anthony & Alison Smyth
**1. Minutes of the previous meeting** were agreed as a true record of the meeting.
## **2. Elections to the PCC**
Will reminded the meeting of the composition of the PCC, this being: licensed clergy and readers, deanery Synod members, churchwardens, elected members.
Thanks were given to those who were leaving the PCC, having reached the end of their term of office: Neil Challen, John Deavin, Madeline King, Cathy Stevens
The following candidates had been nominated for election to the PCC:
Maureen Hiller, Steve Hitchmough, Rosemary Roberts, Natalie Shaw
All were elected unanimously
Jane Bell was willing to stand for election but had not been on the electoral roll for the requisite 6 months prior to the meeting. Jane was co-opted to the PCC for the time being, this to be converted to election to the PCC once she has been on the roll for 6 months.
## **3. Elections to key roles.**
Thanks were given for the work of Cathy Stevens who has been Treasurer for the last few years. Steve Hitchmough was unanimously elected as Treasurer
Thanks were given to Pauline James for her work as electoral roll officer. Pauline was unanimously reelected.
Pauline reported that there were 234 people on the electoral roll. A full refresh of the electoral roll would take place in 2025.
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## **4. Reports**
Rev’d Hughes briefly highlighted each of the reports making up the annual report, with questions and comments as noted.
## **4.1 Vicars report**
To add to the report, Rev’d Hughes noted our farewell and thanks to our curate Rev’d Alison Waterhouse. Many of the things noted in the report had been led by Alison including the fete and Coronation events. Thanks were noted to Ann Wealden who has sorted out 50 large boxes of documents stored in the parish office loft – these have been assessed and variously binned, filed or deposited at the Winchester records office.
Rev’d Hughes highlighted the statistics for mission. Junior Church is now meeting monthly rather than weekly, so the average weekly numbers have dropped though the worshipping community is larger. Baptism numbers have dropped and we will be working to publicise baptisms more.
Melanie Moore asked if it were possible to show the number of people in the worshipping community and Rev’d Hughes confirmed that this was being explored.
## **4.2 Safeguarding**
Thanks were noted to Alison Gauld, our parish safeguarding officer.
## **4.3 Churchwardens report**
The Churchwardens, Martin How and Penny Bell, added further thanks to Rev’d Will Hughes and Hattie Hughes, readers, intercessors, chalice assistants, servers and all those who take part to ensure the regular week by week ministry of the church.
## **4.4 Deanery**
Rev’d Hughes highlighted the deanery lead roles for stipendiary clergy.
## **4.5 Finance review**
Rev’d Hughes briefly highlighted the overall financial position and explained that investment gains and losses do not impact directly on available funds for day to day work. Excluding investment gains, the PCC accounts show a £12,000 loss for 2023.
Debbie Reed highlighted the need for ongoing fundraising: planned giving covers our parish share but not our regular operating costs.
Rev’d Hughes encouraged people to give via the parish giving scheme.
Rosemary Roberts asked how do we let new people know about planned giving.
John Deavin highlighted the value of legacies and encouraged people to consider leaving a legacy to the church.
The Larcombe Rd property owned by the PCC is to be rented out for income rather than to house a curate. Any future curates would be housed by the Diocese as is the case for other parishes.
Funding for a children and families worker for 3 years has been achieved via a successful grant application.
## **4.6 Committee reports**
Every committee report was noted. Additional comments are noted here.
The enhanced choir is an exciting addition to the musical life of St Peter’s.
The Band is on hold at the moment as most band members are busy doing GCSE or A Levels. Bellringing goes from strength to strength. A simulator has been fitted to allow more practice time for the increased number of ringers, without disturbing our neighbours.
Cash counters have a big job, especially at Christmas. There are robust systems in place which includes always having 2 people counting together.
The card reader in the servery is not very reliable. Martin How is looking at extending wifi coverage to remedy this.
We are considering putting cameras in the churchyard due to anti social behaviour.
The town council cuts grass and maintains trees, but the churchyard team keep it looking beautiful. The team need more help – they are a small team and the youngest is in their 70s.
The flower guild are looking forward to the flower festival. They still need some stewards to help.
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The pastoral team and home communion team take home communion to 12-14 people every week. Wendy Gillam would be very pleased to hear from anybody who would like to join the team. Sally Hughes and team have kept Play Together going with volunteers since August last year. They are looking forward to recruiting the new children and families worker. Deep gratitude was noted to the volunteers.
Anyone who feels called to reader ministry is invited to discuss this with Rev’d Hughes.
Refresh is a fantastic ministry to the town and goes from strength to strength. Police and social prescribers attend to meet the community. Disability accessibility group also will soon be attending. More volunteers are also welcome, to bake cakes or to help at the sessions.
The church hall is now well used. It is kept clean but is showing its age and looking shabby. The PCC need to consider how best to make the hall a good asset for decades to come.
On the discipleship and spirituality calendar of events, the 4[th] Tuesday of the month will now be a fellowship meeting in a local pub.
More helpers are needed for concerts.
Lynn Carter runs a Bible study group, and new people are always welcome to join.
Church watch has two purposes – to provide a welcome to visitors, and security. More helpers would be welcome.
Madeline King has completed her term as PACT representative and a new representative is now needed.
Rev’d Hughes thanked people for their reports, and also for all the ministry that those reports represent. **5. Questions and comments**
Alison Gauld noted that Rev’d Hughes has been chaplain to the Mayor Cllr Crissey, and has received a mayor’s medal for community cohesion.
Mark Dancer referred to a recent report in The Times about the hymn “All things bright and beautiful”. The article was illustrated with a stock photo of Mark at the St Peter’s organ. Mark asked everyone to let him and Rev’d Hughes know if they had any special hymn requests.
Rev’d Hughes was glad to be focusing wholeheartedly on ministry at St Peter’s, having finished the acting archdeacon role during last year.
For concerts in the winter, the church is very cold. This was done on purpose this year due to high heating costs, with the thermostat set a couple of degrees cooler than usual. It is hoped that this can be reversed this year.
Melanie Moore noted that the online service is usually not clearly audible. Rev’d Hughes would like to have better facilities to enhance the online ministry – a better camera, and an iPad to run the camera during the service.
The meeting closed with the Grace
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