The Parish of Farlington
St. Andrew’s, Farlington & The Church of the Resurrection, Drayton
Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council
for the year ended 31st December 2025
Incumbent – Revd Canon Paul Gully
Bank – NatWest Bank PLC, High Street, Cosham, Portsmouth Independent Examiner – Morris Crocker, Chartered Accountants Station House, North Street, Havant PO9 1QU Charity Number: 1129921
Website – www.farlingtonparish.co.uk
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Parish of Farlington
Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting Sunday 17[th] May 2026 at St Andrew’s Church hall after the 10 am service
Agenda
Meeting of Parishioners
Minutes of Meeting of Parishioners 2025
Election of Churchwardens
Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2025
Electoral Roll Report and Appointment of Roll Officer
Election of PCC members
Appointment of Treasurer
Appointment of Secretary to the PCC
Appointments to the Deanery Synod
Appointment of Independent Examiner
Appointment of Deputy Wardens
Treasurer’s Report on the 2025 accounts
Safeguarding Policy Statement
Report on the fabric, goods and ornaments of the church by the Churchwarden
Report on the proceedings of the PCC by the Secretary
Report on the proceedings of Deanery Synod
Other Reports
Rector’s remarks
Suggestions from parishioners of charities they might be prepared to champion for 2027
Any questions about parochial church matters
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Minutes of the Farlington Parish Meeting of Parishioners held on Sunday 11[th] May 2025
Present: Rev. Canon Paul Gully [PG] in the chair, Revd Deb Henning-Vears and 41 parishioners - Marina Horner (Minutes Secretary), Michael Horner, Christine Watkins, Jim Booth, Mervyn Doyle, John Upton, Linda Upton, Monica MacFarlane, Michele Voysey, Geoff Wilson, Anthony Purser, John Burwood, Paul Wells, Amanda Wells, Hannah Emerton, Thomas Mather, Amber Vincent-Prior, Richard Jempson, Andrew Walker, Hilary Walker, Sheena Day, Simon Lemieux, Karen Lemieux, Marcus Saunders, Sarah Saunders, Jill Collings, Chris Batstone, Vivienne Batstone, Paul Harrison, Ruth Taylor, Len Taylor, Revd Linda Denness, Miriam Sampson, Philip Sampson, Eileen Ward, Ann Goldsmith, Joan Walters, Fiona Jordan-Harrison, Chris Gibbons, Rosalie Gleed, and Marion Avery.
PG opened the meeting with prayer at 11:15.
Apologies: Apologies were received from Maretta Nelson.
Minutes of Meeting of Parishioners 2024:
The minutes of the Annual Meeting of Parishioners were presented in written format. There were no questions arising from the minutes.
Election of Churchwardens:
Only one nomination had been received for the two Churchwardens posts in the Parish and that was for Amanda Wells, proposed by Paul Harrison and seconded by Chris Brown. There being no further nominations, Amanda Wells was duly elected unanimously as Churchwarden with particular responsibility for St Andrews.
There being no further business for the Meeting of Parishioners, PG closed the meeting at 11.20.
Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting held on Sunday 11[th] May 2025 immediately following the Meeting of Parishioners
PG opened the meeting at 11:20.
Present: Rev. Canon Paul Gully [PG] in the chair, Revd Deb Henning-Vears and 41 parishioners - Marina Horner (Minutes Secretary), Michael Horner, Christine Watkins, Jim Booth, Mervyn Doyle, John Upton, Linda Upton, Monica MacFarlane, Michele Voysey, Geoff Wilson, Anthony Purser, John Burwood, Paul Wells, Amanda Wells, Hannah Emerton, Thomas Mather, Amber Vincent-Prior, Richard Jempson, Andrew Walker, Hilary Walker, Sheena Day, Simon Lemieux, Karen Lemieux, Marcus Saunders, Sarah Saunders, Jill Collings, Chris Batstone, Vivienne Batstone, Paul Harrison, Ruth Taylor, Len Taylor, Revd Linda Denness, Miriam Sampson, Philip Sampson, Eileen Ward, Ann Goldsmith, Joan Walters, Fiona Jordan-Harrison, Chris Gibbons, Rosalie Gleed, and Marion Avery.
Apologies:
Apologies were received from Maretta Nelson.
Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2024:
The minutes were presented in written format and were available on the Parish website prior to this meeting. There were no questions arising from the minutes.
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Electoral Roll Report and Appointment of Roll Officer:
The number on the new Electoral roll prepared this year is 86. (down from 109 last year). Marcus Saunders is happy to continue as Electoral Roll Officer. Unanimously agreed that Marcus should continue in the role.
Election of PCC members:
PG pointed out that as the number of people on the Electoral Roll has dipped below 100, only 9 lay members are permitted on the PCC rather than 12. Therefore, there are currently three 3-year vacancies and one 1-year vacancy on the PCC.
Three nominations for the PCC have been received as follows:-
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John Upton was proposed by Michael Horner and seconded by Marcus Saunders.
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Hannah Emerton was proposed by Hilary Walker and seconded by Andrew Walker.
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Richard Jempson was proposed by Paul Wells and seconded by Amanda Wells.
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All were duly elected unanimously for a 3-year term.
Appointment of Treasurer:
PG explained that the appointment of the Treasurer for the parish is a matter for the PCC, but that the PCC would wish to be guided by the recommendation of the APCM. PG proposed that the PCC would wish to invite Hannah Emerton to continue as Parish Treasurer. The APCM agreed unanimously to the proposed appointment of Hannah Emerton to continue as Treasurer.
Appointment of Secretary to the PCC:
There have been no nominations for Secretary to the PCC, therefore PG proposed from the Chair that we continue with the current Secretarial team. The meeting unanimously agreed that the Parish should continue with this arrangement.
Appointments to the Deanery Synod:
Deanery Synod representatives are elected every three years and the existing members were elected last year; therefore, there are currently two vacancies. No nominations have been received.
Appointment of Independent Examiner:
It was proposed by the Chair (with the agreement of the Treasurer) that we continue to use Morris Crocker, Chartered Accountants in Havant, as the Independent Examiners for a further year. As a result of previous questions being asked about whether it was appropriate to continue using the same person as Independent Examiner, enquiries were made about how the Examiner was allocated. As the examination is allocated to different people on a regular basis, the PCC is content to continue with Morris Crocker for the time being, but will review periodically whether they are providing the best value for money for the parish.
The meeting agreed unanimously to the appointment of Morris Crocker as the Independent Examiner for the coming year.
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Appointment of Deputy Wardens:
At last year’s meeting, Paul Harrison and Anthony Purser were elected as Deputy Churchwardens for St Andrew’s and Michael Horner for Church of the Resurrection. PG has not yet confirmed their willingness to continue in these posts, but asked if the meeting was content for them to continue if they are willing to do so – unanimously agreed by the meeting.
Agreement that Licensed Readers should serve as ex-officio members of PCC:
PG explained that Amber Vincent-Prior has now become a Reader with Licence to Officiate and is therefore entitled to be an ex-officio member of the PCC but does not wish to do so. PG also explained that Simon Lemieux serves as a member of Deanery Synod, Diocesan Synod and Bishop’s Council and so is an ex-officio member of PCC already.
Treasurer’s report on the 2024 accounts:
The approved accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024 were presented as a separate document and have been available on the parish website prior to this meeting. Questions were invited; there were none.
PG took the opportunity to offer thanks on behalf of the parish to the Finance Team for their work in maintaining the smooth running of the parish finances during the past year.
Safeguarding Policy Statement:
The Safeguarding Policy Statement had been included on pages 24-26 of the Annual report and the Safeguarding Report at pages 22-23. A couple of changes have been made to the Messy Church section of the Policy Statement. There were no questions about Safeguarding. PG thanked Christine Watkins for her continuing work as Parish Safeguarding Officer.
Report on the fabric, goods and ornaments of the church by the Churchwarden:
The churchwarden’s report on the fabric, goods and ornaments of the church was included on pages 12 - 14 of the Annual Report. There were no questions to the Churchwarden.
PG thanked Amanda Wells for preparing the report for both churches with the assistance of members of the Fabric Committee.
A fabric report by the convenor of the Fabric Committee was also included at page 15-16. John Upton asked if the quinquennial report for St Andrew’s had been received yet – it is still outstanding but a 97 page report on the Church of the Resurrection has been received.
Report on the proceedings of the PCC by the Secretary:
The report was included on page 14-15 of the Annual Report. There were no questions to the Secretarial Team. In the absence of any nominations to fill the post of Parish Secretary, the Secretarial Team will continue to carry out the functions of this post. Marina Horner appealed for a
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volunteer to take on the role of Parish Secretary, supported by the current Secretarial Team if required.
Report on the proceedings of Deanery Synod:
The report on Deanery Synod proceedings was included on pages 15 of the Annual Report. There were no questions to Deanery Synod representatives.
Other Reports:
Reports from the various church committees/congregations/ groups were published on pages 18 – 23. These include reports from the Fabric Committee, Eco Church, Messy Church, Drayton Film Club, ‘Looking After Each Other’ group, Friends of St Andrew’s and the Safeguarding Report (already covered under the Safeguarding Policy Statement section).
Miriam Sampson pointed out that there was an error in the Eco Church report – there are only two birdboxes at St Andrew’s not three.
There were no questions about the reports.
Chair’s remarks:
The Rector’s remarks were published on pages 11 - 12 of the Annual Report. PG highlighted the potential 5[th] Sunday joint service at St Andrew’s and invited anyone with strong feelings about that to contact a member of the PCC with their thoughts. There were no questions to the Rector.
Any questions about parochial church matters:
There were no further questions about parochial church matters. John Upton expressed on behalf of the parish, how well he felt PG was doing in his role as Rector.
PG closed the meeting at 11.32.
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Contents
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Administrative Information
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Structure, Governance and Management
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Objectives and Activities
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Electoral Roll
o Occasional Offices
- Review of the Year
o Rector’s remarks
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Churchwarden’s report
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PCC Secretary’s report
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Deanery Synod report
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Committee reports – Fabric
Financial Report ( see separate document)
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Presentation of accounts for year ended 31 December 2025 ( see separate document)
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Other reports – Eco-church
Messy Church Drayton Film Club Looking After Each Other Safeguarding
- Policy Statement for the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults
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Administrative Information
The Parish of Farlington comprises two churches: St. Andrew’s and the Church of the Resurrection. It is part of the Archdeaconry of Portsdown and the Diocese of Portsmouth within the Church of England.
The correspondence address is: Farlington Parish Office, Church of the Resurrection, Penrhyn Avenue, Drayton, Portsmouth PO6 2AP.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Measure: it is registered with the Charity Commission, charity number 1129921.
The Ministry Team is comprised
Incumbent: The Revd Canon Paul Gully Assistant Curate: The Revd Deb Henning-Vears Readers: Mr Simon Lemieux, Mrs Amber Vincent-Prior.
Clergy with Permission to Officiate (PTO) linked with the parish:
The Revd Linda Denness (Until March 2026) The Revd Judy Hennings (from 2025)
PCC members who have served from the date of the previous annual meeting are: -
Incumbent: The Revd Canon Paul Gully Reader: Mr Simon Lemieux
Wardens: Mrs Amanda Wells – St Andrew’s (Vacant)- Church of the Resurrection Secretary: (Vacant) - covered by a secretarial team
Co-opted Members
Mrs Marina Horner – Minute Secretary
Deanery Synod representatives:
Marcus Saunders
Simon Lemieux, ex-officio Diocesan Synod member and Bishop’s Council Miriam Sampson (from 2025)
Vacancy
At the 2026 APCM Three representatives are to be elected to Deanery Synod for the new 2026-29 Triennium.
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| 2023/26 | Representing | |
|---|---|---|
| Philip Sampson | CR | |
| Thomas Mather | CR | |
| Vacancy | ||
| 2024/27 | Representing | |
| Christine Watkins | SA | Parish Safeguarding Officer |
| Anthony Purser | SA | Assistant Churchwarden |
| Michael Horner | CR | Assistant Churchwarden |
| 2025/28 | Representing | |
| John Upton | CR | Vice Chair |
| Hannah Emerton | CR | Treasurer |
| Richard Jempson | SA | Convenor of the Fabric Committee |
The APCM elects nine members to the PCC. In 2026 there are available three elected places for three years.
According to the parish constitution (following rule M16 of the Church Representation Rules 2022), those elected members who have served three years on the PCC will stand down and members will be elected to take their place. In 2026 Philip Sampson and Thomas Mather come to the end of their term. We thank them for their contribution.
Structure, Governance and Management
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules – a new and simplified version of which came into effect on March 1st 2022. All church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
The Standing Committee of the PCC is comprised of the incumbent, the churchwardens, and two others elected by the PCC; it meets every two months in the months between the bi-monthly PCC meetings, with the exception of December.
There are two sub-committees which oversee the business of the parish in the following areas: Fabric, Finance,
There are two Working Groups:
Work similar to that of a pastoral care committee is currently undertaken by the ‘Looking After Each Other’ working group.
An Eco Church working group meets and undertakes projects and work on our ‘green credentials’
Separate reports from these committees/working groups are included below.
Objectives and Activities
Farlington PCC has responsibility to co-operate with the incumbent in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the church: pastoral, evangelistic, social and
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ecumenical. It also has the maintenance responsibilities for St Andrew’s church, the Church of the Resurrection and the two church halls within the curtilages of the churches.
Electoral Roll
The number on the New Roll for 2025 was 86 There has been a Revised Roll prepared in 2026. The Number on the Revised roll is 87
Occasional Offices
Over the year, there have been nine funerals conducted by the clergy team in church or at the crematorium/cemetery. There were no weddings, three candidates presented for Confirmation (who were confirmed by Bishop Matthias – now also an Assistant Bishop of Portsmouth) and five Christenings.
Canon Paul Gully, Rector
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Rector’s Remarks
As we reach this point in the year, it feels especially fitting to pause, look back with gratitude, and look forward with hope. Although this is far from the only time I say “thank you,” it is an important moment to acknowledge the many people whose dedication sustains the life of this parish.
Churchwardens & Administration
My deepest thanks to Amanda Wells, who has now completed the second year of her third term as Churchwarden during my time here. She has carried the additional weight of being our sole Churchwarden with grace and determination — and she continues to look out for my wellbeing, including telling me off when I don’t take enough leave.
The second Churchwarden post remains vacant. Surely there is someone among us who could take up this vital role.
A heartfelt thank you to Kathryn Gunns, who has indicated her wish to step down from her many administrative responsibilities in the parish after years of faithful service.
‑ Thanks also to Philip Sampson and Tom Mather, who conclude their three year terms on the PCC, and to our office team — Jean, Di, Caroline, and Geoff — for their steady and invaluable work.
Fabric, Care, and Pastoral Support
‑ Richard Jempson has led the Fabric Sub Committee with diligence, especially as we face the significant work arising from the 2024 Quinquennial Inspection.
Geoff Wilson and Mervyn Doyle, along with others, continue to help us explore what it means to “look after each other” as a parish community.
Finance
My thanks to Hannah Emerton, who continues to lead, encourage, and envision the Treasurer team. She will no doubt remind us again that the solutions we seek must come from within our own resources. I am grateful to the wider finance team for supporting her so faithfully.
Worship & Ministry
Thank you to our Deputy Wardens — Paul Harrison, Anthony Purser, and Michael Horner — and to all who serve as sidespersons and welcomers.
Thank you to those who read Scripture in worship and those who lead our intercessions.
‑ Thank you to John Upton, Vice Chair of the PCC, Marina Horner who has an enlarged role in supporting the PCC with more than just the Minute Secretary role and to all who are joining, returning to, or continuing on the PCC.
Marcus Saunders and Simon Lemieux help us keep sight of the wider diocesan picture through their service on Deanery Synod, Diocesan Synod, and Bishop’s Council.
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Miriam Sampson encourages our ecumenical partnerships, leads the eco group in our journey toward the Gold Award, and continues to develop and inspire our musicians and singers.
And to the many others who contribute quietly and faithfully — thank you.
Clergy & Licensed Ministers
‑ Thank you to The Revd Deb Henning Vears, whose passion for her new role as a Royal Navy Reserve Chaplain is evident to all. We too rejoice with her as she prepares for ordination to the sacred priesthood in June.
Deep gratitude to The Revd Linda Denness for her many years of priestly support as she chooses not to renew her licence.
We welcome The Revd Judy Henning, who has transferred her Permission to Officiate to this parish.
Thanks also to Simon and Amber, each continuing in their own unique callings.
Children, Families, and Community
Thank you to Elaine, leader of the Messy Church congregation, and to her team — especially as they celebrate ten years of ministry with families this month.
The Men’s Shed group continues to wait, with understandable frustration, for the lease or licence needed to access their funding before the abolition of Portsmouth City Council.
The Film Club, led by Linda and John Upton, regularly attracts around forty people, many of whom have no other connection with the church. This is a remarkable outreach.
Both of these initiatives are examples of how church members support and coordinate work that blesses our wider community.
A Call to Serve
One of the strengths of this parish has long been the number of people who serve in agencies and organisations beyond the church as part of their Christian commitment. It would be a loss if Christian service were confined only to church activities.
However, I encourage you to consider volunteering for parish roles where you can — and to encourage others where you cannot. Several significant posts will need to be filled as people complete their terms or step back.
Please also keep a close eye on the parish’s financial figures and for each of us - ask ‘How might I better respond to God’s generosity’?
Worshipping Together
Our second joint parish service at St Andrew’s on fifth Sundays, with the involvement of the music group, continues to be well received.
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Looking Ahead
Thank you all for your continued commitment to these places and their mission, and for your kindness, encouragement, and support of my ministry.
And finally — keep an eye out for plans to celebrate the centenary of the Church of the Resurrection.
Paul
Churchwarden’s Report
Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who helped in so many ways over 2025- the Fabric Committee led by Richard Jempson, Paul Harrison, Tony Purser, Jim Booth, Christine Watkins, Ruth Taylor, Michael Horner, Marcus Saunders, and the Eco Group who looked after the garden at the Church of the Resurrection. So much work was done by all of you, and I am deeply thankful to each and every one of you.
The Quinquennial Report was received for both sites, and some time was taken to consider the priorities and where works could be potentially grouped together so that, whilst some items might not be in the ‘urgent’ group, if scaffolding was required, the work could all be done together to minimise costs where possible. The first phase of the repair works are being undertaken in the current year, 2026, and will be detailed in next year’s report.
St Andrew’s Church.
The gutters and downpipes were cleared, twice, as there was water ingress in the sanctuary. There is now less water, but this area of the roof needs urgent attention and will be repaired in 2026. The church hall was redecorated, new blinds fitted as the previous ones were in a very poor state of repair, blown window panels replaced, toilet seats replaced, Perspex splash backs were fitted under the hand driers and the urinal was repaired and had a motion sensor fitted to save on wasted water. The boilers in both the church and hall were serviced. The fire shutter in the hall was repaired and serviced. Electrical works to the lighting were undertaken in both the church and hall. The lightning conductor system was inspected. The disabled toilet was retiled, the organ tuned and fire extinguishers were inspected and replaced where necessary. Monthly and quarterly checks were undertaken in accordance with the maintenance plan, which can be viewed in the vestry. Carbon monoxide alarms were fitted in both the church vestry and the hall. The area immediately surrounding the church was beautifully maintained by Jim Booth. The Mens Shed made a bespoke cupboard for the vestry which has been very useful. The defibrillator was checked monthly and replacement pads purchased where necessary.
The Church of the Resurrection
The organ was tuned (twice) and the lift, fire extinguishers and boilers in church and hall serviced. The gutters and downpipes were cleared as there was water ingress in the Lady Chapel, the wall is now drying out. There were two leaks; one inside the church and one outside, both required
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considerable work to locate, resolve and make good. The hedge at the rear of the church was removed and much overgrowth removed, the church receives more light now and the damp patches are drying out. The removal of the hedge will help with maintenance. The grass was periodically mowed by a contractor and the hedge on the perimeter was trimmed. The wildlife garden has been maintained by the Eco-Group and is continuing to grow and mature. The lift received its annual service. The defibrillator was checked monthly and replacement pads purchased where necessary.
There is much work to do in 2026, both in the general maintenance of both sites and in the work highlighted by the Quinquennial Inspections, we therefore continue to work together to provide a safe space for our community to meet in fellowship and worship.
Amanda Wells.
PCC Secretary’s report
The PCC continues to meet every other month, with the Standing Committee meeting the alternate months in between to deal with any urgent business.
In the continued absence of any volunteers at or following last year’s Annual Parochial Church Meeting to take on the role of Parish Secretary, the Secretarial Team has continued to fulfil the needs of the Parish Secretary’s role, and I have continued as Minutes Secretary to the PCC. This team comprises myself, Hannah Emerton and the office team of Di Allen, Jean Nicholas, Caroline Harper and Geoff Wilson who assist with the general administrative duties. Sadly, Jan Boucher, who was also a member of the team, has stepped down this year. I would like to thank her on behalf of the parish and the rest of the team for her valuable contribution to the smooth running of the parish secretarial matters.
Ideally, the Parish still requires a named Parish Secretary, but this role could be supported by the current Secretarial Team if required. I, or any of the other members of the team, would be happy to talk to anyone who might consider this role.
Marina Horner
Deanery Synod report
The parish continues to be well represented at Deanery Synod with three ex-officio members (Rector, curate and Simon Lemieux) and two elected members, Marcus Saunders and Miriam Sampson. Regular updates have been provided to the PCC.
Synod has as usual, met three times during the year with varying levels of attendance among the wider base of elected members across the city but fortunately, Farlington parish has always been represented by at least one individual but normally by several.
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The year has witnessed a change of Area Dean from Bob White to Clive Gardner from St Cuthberts, with the AD chairing meetings as the Lay Chair has been unwell and unable to attend and has now stepped down. The meetings have offered a good opportunity to hear about positive news and initiatives across the Deanery including the work of Anna Chaplains, EcoChurch and Choir Church. There have also been a range of speakers not least at the last meeting where we heard from Portsmouth City Mission who are planning to launch in Portsmouth this September. They have a particular heart for working with local schools and explaining what Christians believe and running whole day RE sessions in primary/junior schools. Their approach is ecumenical and very much intended not to duplicate existing church-school links and work. Synod also had a presentation about diocesan finances and where parish share goes/funds.
Also at the last meeting, a proposal was made to pause deanery subscriptions from parishes for a year given both the healthy state of deanery finances and the financial challenges facing many parishes. Synod however voted against this motion so deanery subscriptions remain in place for 2026.
Overall, deanery synod remains an important link in the formal CofE structures, feeding into diocesan synod and even General Synod. One motion originating in a Hereford Diocese deanery synod made it to General Synod and was passed – about the environment and church flowers no less!
As ever, please speak to any one of our reps on deanery synod if you want any more details or indeed would be interested in getting involved yourself. Fresh elections for General Synod will take place later this year, and Deanery Synods are the electorate.
Respectfully submitted,
Simon Lemieux
Fabric Committee Report
We continue to maintain the fabric of both churches and their halls on behalf of the PCC. The committee has worked collaboratively throughout the year, completing planned projects and addressing day‑to‑day issues as they arise.
The Fabric Committee met regularly during 2024, and our activities, observations and recommendations were reported to each PCC meeting. Several members of the team also contribute directly to the Eco Working Group, helping to support its ongoing initiatives.
We’re delighted that Tom Mather has taken on the role of Parish Health & Safety Representative. He works closely with the Fabric Committee and the PCC and has already made a significant contribution to our ongoing work to maintain and improve safety systems and processes.
Di Allen, our Hall Manager, oversees bookings for both church halls alongside a wide range of other responsibilities. She has worked closely with Amanda Wells to address issues as they arise at St Andrew’s Hall, and she is supported by a small parish halls access team who manage key collection for occasional hirers and ensure the hall is clean and ready for the next user. A great
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deal of unseen work goes into keeping our halls running smoothly. It is thanks to the dedication and commitment of Di and her colleagues that the day‑to‑day operation of our halls is as efficient and reliable as it is. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Di for her significant contribution to the life of the parish.
There has not been a Churchwarden at the Church of the Resurrection for several years, which is far from ideal. This absence has placed additional demands on the Fabric Committee, particularly in resourcing the work needed to maintain the church buildings to the standard we aspire to. However, I would like to express my particular thanks to Michael Horner, supported by Paul Gully and other members of the committee, for their continued commitment to maintaining the church buildings. Their dedication has been invaluable during this period.
Each year brings its own challenges, and 2025 was no exception, particularly with ongoing financial and resourcing pressures. We continue to use a maintenance planning tool to ensure that essential tasks are identified and considered throughout the year, and that nothing is overlooked. A separate system is also in place to record the work undertaken to maintain our health and safety responsibilities. Alongside this routine planning, the team remains focused on ‑ the high priority actions highlighted by our architect in his most recent inspection report. There is a substantial list of items for us to address, and our current attention is centred on the condition of our church roofs.
Details of the work undertaken throughout the year will be presented in the Churchwarden’s report.
Richard Jempson
Fabric Committee Convenor
Financial Report and Accounts for year ended 31 December 2025
See separate document
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Eco Church
After gaining our Silver Eco Church Award at the end of 2024, over the past year we have started working towards our Gold Award. However the criteria have recently changed, and it is now a much more demanding process. Nonetheless, we have taken some significant steps forward, using insights we gained from the energy audit last year.
Energy saving and energy suppliers: We have committed to a 5% reduction in energy usage each year, and our Energy Footprint Tool return suggested that we achieved that last year. We used the ‘Quick Wins Grant’ from the diocese to install LED lights in the hall and toilets at the Res, and the hall and church at St Andrew’s. This work was completed before the end of 2025 and should be reducing our energy usage further going forward, contributing to lower bills. It has also markedly improved the lighting in all these buildings. This has contributed to a rise in bookings at St Andrew’s Hall. Last October we changed to new energy suppliers, recommended by Parish Buying. We now buy ‘green’ electricity from Ecotricity, and although we are still buying ‘brown’ gas, we have opted to pay a small premium to offset the carbon emissions associated with that.
Churchyard at the Res: Linda and her team of gardeners have been working throughout the year to increase biodiversity in the land beside the church. Most of the grass was allowed to grow long last summer, a bird bath has now been installed and a water feature is being planned. The wildflower area was not thriving as we would have liked, so we obtained specialist advice from the Hampshire Wildlife Trust, which was very helpful. The wildflower area has now been replanted. The children attending Messy Church in March scattered wildflower seeds from ‘seed bombs’ as part of their activities. A herb hedge has been planted alongside it. The trees that we planted in 2022 survived last summer's drought. The garden is being ‘twinned’ with a garden in Africa.
Churchyard at St Andrew’s: The cycle rack has been installed. The overflowing compost pile was cleared with help from ‘Good Gym’ - a local running group that helps with community projects - and is now being rebuilt.
Worship and teaching: We held a creation-themed ‘Come and Sing’ afternoon during the Season of Creation in September, which was well supported. The CreatureKind course ran during Lent, focusing on what the Bible teaches about animals and how Christians should treat them. Those attending found it thought-provoking and helpful. Miriam and Amber both attended the Bishop’s Study Day about Creation Care, in March.
Community and global participation: We marked Great Big Green Week last June with a Big Green Coffee Morning, with a ‘swapping’ theme. People were invited to bring along things they would like to ‘swap’ with others and, as well as being supported by members of the congregations, a number of people came from across the local community. The Men's Shed and Friends of Portsdown Hill had displays. We shared a number of eco tips, and also promoted Fairtrade. We renewed our Fairtrade Church registration last June; that will last for two years. Our September ’Come and Sing’ coincided with Fairtrade fortnight, so we showed a short film about Fairtrade and served Fairtrade refreshments. To mark ‘Portsmouth 100’ there is a target to identify 100 locations in the city where Fairtrade produce is sold or served; we have recently received a certificate and a sticker from the city council for each of our churches, to mark our commitment to Fairtrade. Several people from our congregations recently took part in the ‘Great Big Plastic Count’, and we continue to collect a wide range of items for recycling. We also
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promoted the Climate Stewards’ Carbon Fast for Lent. Three of us joined the Mass Lobby of Parliament for climate and nature last July.
Going forward: We are now starting to develop a parish policy for climate and nature, which will need to be approved by the PCC.
Dr Miriam Sampson, May 2026.
Messy Church
Another year has once again been interesting and sometimes surprising as we reach out to families each month. The attendance numbers have been consistent, apart from a couple of quiet sessions; developing a real community spirit amongst regular Messy friends as well as growing together as a team to retell and reflect on the Bible themes. It is very rewarding to be with the Messy Families.
Once again, we presented a varied programme of activities on Bible themes from Get Messy! Magazine and now we are more experienced we can add many of our own ideas. As we meet regularly the team can share ideas and tailor them to our congregation, as well as welcoming new members to our team; Alison & Jackie. We sing lively action songs (when the tech is working) – thanks to a well-known website.
Recently Jocelyn joined us to complete the voluntary service part of her Duke of Edinburgh award. She is the 4[th] volunteer we have welcomed.
Our themes have been:
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Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego in the Fiery Furnace.
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The Lost Sheep.
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Ruth & Boaz.
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The Nativity.
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The Prodigal Son.
-
Moses & The Burning Bush.
-
New Life part 1/ symbols.
-
New Life 2 & Doubting Thomas.
-
Follow Me – Disciples.
-
Pentecost.
-
The Road to Emmaus.
Amongst all these fun activities, songs, animations, interactive celebrations, is the core message of what we believe, which the adults as well as the children receive.
Promotion by email, Facebook groups and the banner are ongoing. Word of mouth is the most powerful advertisement for Messy Church.
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all those who take part and to those who pray for us and our congregation. A mention to our resident photographer who records the sessions (do have a look & note the happy smiling faces!) – these pictures have become popular with the families. Thanks
18
to our pizza delivery team who cook the pizzas at home & transport them to us. I can recommend them. We could not manage to provide Messy Church without the input of so many people.
I urge you all to come and see- Get messy & have fun or just come and see what goes on.
Elaine Beeby April 2026
Drayton Film Club
Another successful year for Drayton Film Club. Our average attendance is around 30 with new people from the local area joining us and our regulars spreading the word. During the past year we have shown films including Where the Crawdad Sings, Conclave, Mr Burton and Babe. Our traditional August musical this year was The Greatest Showman.
The interval refreshments are much appreciated and as the warmer weather arrives we will be adding choc ices to the menu. Thanks again to Ruth and Len who help with the serving and the washing up and to Rosalie for the homemade cakes.
This year we have been able to donate £572 to Parish Funds towards the heating, lighting and the license thanks to the generous refreshment donations. We held one pre film lunch this year and about 40 people enjoyed homemade soups and fruit crumbles and then settled down to watch Downton Abbey, The Finale. A big thank you to everyone who helped with the cooking, setting up, serving and washing up
We meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 2pm. Come and join us if you can and spread the word. There is always plenty of tea in the pot and some brilliant films yet to be shown.
Linda and John.
Looking After Each Other
Among the topics discussed have been:
-
Production and distribution of Christmas cards in December 2024
-
The need for a simple information card to give people an indication of church organised activities in the parish
-
The need and format of something e.g. badge or lanyard to indicate members of welcome team
-
Organisation of the group activity for Café Church related to prayer, building a relationship of care, active care for each other, creative care for each other
-
How to help people to get to know each other better
-
How to enable prayer by others for particular individuals whilst ensuring privacy and adherence to relevant regulations
-
The need to review and revise the original yellow leaflet and the content of the two display boards
19
-
Possible development of the idea of cairns as suggested by the Bishop of Portsmouth in a diocesan magazine and other places.
-
Representation of the group on the PCC.
The main actions taken have been:
-
Over 2000 Christmas cards for 2025 were produced and distributed, funded by the PCC
-
Members of the group participated and led the Café Church on Pentecost Sunday
-
A notice is now included in the Parish Notice sheet about how to have a person’s name included in the intercessions
-
500 information cards were produced, funded by donation, and distributed to members of the congregations who were asked to take more and pass them onto others
-
Revision of the original leaflet continues but has been hampered in part by changes to the IT system in the Parish Office.
Mervyn Doyle
20.4.2026 Agreed following the meeting of the group
Safeguarding Report
At Farlington Parish we are committed to promoting a safer environment and culture, and support for those who come into our churches. Ensuring the safety of all children and vulnerable adults in our community is the responsibility of everyone who participates in the life of the church.
Safeguarding appears as an item on each PCC agenda.
2026 Safeguarding Policy
The Parish Safeguarding Policy has been reviewed, revised and approved by the PCC and is displayed in each church.
DBS Checks
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is the government agency that provides information about an individual’s criminal record history, in the form of a DBS certificate. This helps churches and other organisations to make informed recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Safeguarding Training
The level of training required depends on the role in the church community. There are specific training requirements for each role and this training needs to be updated every three years.
20
Face to face, zoom and on-line training are available for anyone wishing to improve their understanding of safeguarding and is accessible via the Diocesan website.
Messy Church helpers complete a Declaration of Suitability and basic safeguarding training.
Whilst some people may question why their role requires Basic Awareness training, some volunteers within the church potentially come into contact with children or vulnerable adults where there may be safeguarding concerns. The short online Basic Awareness training can help us to recognise safeguarding situations.
Reporting Safeguarding Concerns .
We should all be alert to potential harmful situations and report any concerns to an appropriate person.
The current Safeguarding Poster (‘Promoting a Safer Church’) is displayed in our churches, halls and toilets along with a briefer, easier to read version. Information on who to contact at church and in the community are provided.
We are grateful to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team who help with queries and guidance.
INEQE Independent Safeguarding Group.
In 2025 INEQE conducted a comprehensive audit of safeguarding practices within our diocese.
This formed part of a nationwide series commissioned by the Archbishop’s Council to assess safeguarding across the Church of England. During the week long visit INEQE looked at 642 anonymous surveys. They also spoke to 6 focus groups and carried out 130 interviews with clergy, staff and volunteers.
The report published in September concluded that the Diocese of Portsmouth had undergone " a substantial and positive transformation in its safeguarding culture, establishing a firmly embedded and robust framework". This success is primarily attributed to the diocesan bishop's clear, committed, and effective leadership, which has strategically positioned safeguarding as a core theological concern and gospel imperative.”
The whole report and its recommendations can be accessed on the diocesan website.
Christine Watkins
Parish Safeguarding Officer, Farlington
21
Parish Safeguarding Policy
The Parish of Farlington is committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of the children and Adults at Risk within our church community, and also to encouraging an environment where all people and especially those who may be vulnerable are able to worship and pursue their faith journey with encouragement and in safety.
The Parochial Church Council adopts the Church of England policy ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ and are committed to the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, the relevant statutory legislation and guidance for the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Parish copy of ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ poster
The PCC will ensure that the ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ poster containing the details of who to contact regarding a safeguarding matter is displayed in each church building and hall building.
Parish Safeguarding Representatives
The PCC will appoint a Safeguarding Representative who will be responsible on behalf of the incumbent and PCC for implementing the National policy in respect of safeguarding children and adults at risk. The Parish Safeguarding Representative agrees to undertake the key responsibilities of the role as outlined in the National Safeguarding Guide.
Our Children’s & Adult at Risk Safeguarding Officer is Christine Watkins.
Paid Workers and/or Volunteers
All those who undertake work in a regulated activity with children and/or adults at risk in the parish on a voluntary or paid basis will be required to:
-
Complete a Confidential Self Declaration Form
-
Provide References
-
To complete any necessary vetting application (DBS)
The Parish of Farlington will seek to ensure that a DBS check is only requested after a risk assessment has indicated that one is both proportionate and relevant to the position (paid or
22
voluntary) concerned. Using the appropriate risk assessment procedures, the following parish posts have been identified as requiring a DBS check:
-
Churchwarden
-
PCC Member
-
Messy Church Leader
-
Organist (when anyone under 18 is a member of the choir)
-
Head Server (when anyone under 18 is a server)
All Confidential Self Declarations Forms, references and results of DBS checks will be held securely by the Incumbent. Declarations and DBS checks must be undertaken every three years, or sooner if the individual moves to a new post, (unless the application was obtained in the previous six months and the nature of the work is similar).
Any person refusing such checks will not be allowed to work with or have unsupervised contact with children or adults at risk in the parish.
All those who work with children and/or adults at risk on a regular basis will be made aware of and should familiarise themselves with the National Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, and will be required to participate in the appropriate level of National Safeguarding training every three years.
Children’s Activities, Groups and Events
The following children’s, young person’s and mixed age activities have been identified as PCC endorsed events and activities that fall under the Diocesan Safeguarding Procedures:
• None at present.
All children and young people wishing to attend the above activities will be provided with a Registration Form, which must be completed and signed by their parents/carers before they take part.
Children who wish to take part in additional events such as church outings, holidays or sleepovers will not be allowed to participate in such activities unless the leaders of such event(s) receive a completed consent form from the parents or guardians of the child concerned, even if the parent or guardian accompanies the child on any such trip or activity. A new form must be completed for each separate activity.
Consideration will be given at all times for the health, safety and welfare of each child and young person, including supervision ratios, transport, first aid, premises and children with special needs.
Other Activities Involving Children
Messy Church
This activity is essentially a congregation of the parish where children always attend and are under the care of their family members.
23
There are 3 distinct roles for volunteer church members who support Messy Church.
Messy Church core team/leaders
Messy Church assistants/helpers. (Assistants and helpers should not take unaccompanied children to use the toilet.)
Kitchen assistants who do not assist with Messy Church activities.
DBS checks (enhanced without barring) are required for core team/leaders, one of whom should always be present, and are required to complete the online safeguarding Basic Awareness and Foundations training programme and the Domestic Abuse training.
Enhanced DBS checks are not normally necessary for assistants and helpers, but if a parish wishes to undertake a basic DBS check on people fulfilling these roles, they will be required to pay the fee. Assistants and helpers are required to complete the online safeguarding Basic Awareness e- learning programme. It is also recommended for kitchen assistants but not mandated.
All should complete the declaration of suitability form.
Core team/leaders should deliver an induction session with all new assistants/helpers, prior to them assisting at a Messy Church service. This should include a discussion on the role and a briefing on how to raise safeguarding/domestic abuse concerns. The PSO may usefully assist in the delivery of these sessions.
Adults at Risk Activities, Groups and Events
The following have been identified as PCC endorsed groups, events and activities that fall under the National Safeguarding Procedures:
• Home Communion Visiting.
Consideration will be given at all times for the health, safety and welfare of the adults at risk.
Hire of Church Premises
All those who book or use the church hall on a regular basis shall be required to sign a copy of the parish booking agreement and a declaration that they have read, understand and will follow the National Church of England Safeguarding Policy and Procedures as well as their own organisation’s safeguarding procedures. The national policy takes precedence particularly regarding supervision ratios .
Agreed at PCC at its January 2025 Meeting Date of Review January 2026
24
Financial Report for Farlington Parish 2025 Parish Finance team Hannah Emerton Jill Collings Jenny and Chris Gibbons Jaye Warren Di Allen S8rah Wlson Sarah Saunders Alison Sheppard Parish Treasurer Deputy Treasurer COR A8318tant Trea3urer StA Assistant Treasurer Halls Manager COR Hall Booking Clerk Gift Aid secretary Bookkeeper and Payroll Independent Examiner Morris Crocker, Chartered Accountants Summary of the year 2025 has been a year of improvement and consolidation desptte increasing challenges around our income. Our regular parish givers have fallen ovar the year (53 in April 2024 -> 45 in Oct 2025) although one off donation5 have increased. Changes to the hall booking system over the year have allowed maximal use of the halls allowing us to increase our rental income. Our main outgoings aro our parish share which, as we continue to pay for our full contribution, accounts for over 50Yo of our expenditure, our energy bills and ongoing maintenance of both churches. Energy bills have not been as high as anticipated and towards the end of the year we signed up to a different energy provider wnose lower costs have alSowed us to use offset green gas rather than brown gas which has supported our ongoing Eco status. However, the changeover ha3 been a little delayed in tems of payments and so some of our 2025 energy costs will be deferred into 2026. We have paid for major refurbishment work at St Andrews hall including replacement of the lights, some of the window units and blinds and redecoration throughout. A new water heater has been installed and the locks have been changed with new keys provided to all the regular hall users. As part of our efforts to become more environmentally friendly, new LED lights have been installed in St Andrews hall, part of St Andr8w8 church and the small hall, lobby and office at Church of the Resurrection. We were SUssful in our application for a Quick vnS Grant which has covered 60Yo of the cost. We have changed the photocopier in the office and the new contract allows us to print for a much reduc£d pri per copy. We continue to provide photocopying for other local groups which covers some of the costs of the photocopier ntaI.
Other financial outgoings this year have included garden maintenance and removal of a very overgrown hedge at CofR Our nominated charities have benefitted from the generosity of parishioners at several service8 where the collections have been allocated to a specifiG Gharity as well as other fundraising events. In 2025 the following amounts have been transferred to our nominated charities.. P8ulsgrove Food Bank - £896.86. Hope into Action- £960, Compassion - £40.65. TWAM £539.25 and a new charity this year, Aggie Westons - £430. Regular deliveries of food and household goods are taken to the food bank throughout the year as well as the extra donations that result from the reverse advent calendar. Other events, many of them musical, have raised money specifically for the Ralse the Roots fund and now that we have the quinquennial report for both churches we anticipate that we will need to look more actively at grant application8 to rai8e the necessary funds for roof repairs at both ¢hurthe8. The income generated from fees for funerals and weddings remains a rel8tNety small parl of our income but the interest rates on our savings account continue to help cover our costs without needing to use too much of our reserves. The halls at both ends of the Parish continue to generate healthy revenue and the ¢xmbined booking system and invoicing prOdureS have allowed us to maximize the use of all the halls. The newly decorated hall at St Andrews has attracted new regular iM)okings to replace some that wor8 previously lost and the gradual creation of a hall access team has spread the load a little bit sharing out opening and dosing of the halls and allowing more flexibility for our renters. The diocese has introduced a new online accounting system - MyFundAccounting and a similar one for gift aid- MyGivingonline which we have reviewed, trialed and decided to adopt for the coming year. We are planning to combine the hall bank accounts for 2026 to allow more streamlined financial protssses. INe continue to promote the theme of stewardship and generosity through our services and prayers and 8re signing up to the Cornerstone project, promoted by the diocese, which allows us to take a more in depth look at our parish giving and congregation attitudes to this as well as providing useful ideas on how to actively engage in fundraising and grant applicats'ons Our total income over th8 yaar was £133,976 compared with £129,606 in 2024 Our total expenditure was £140,104 compared with £130808 in 2024 We have therefore ended 2025 with an overall deficit income over expenditure of £6,127
The total funds in all of our accounts at the end of 2025 are £144,506 compared with £150.633 in 2024. We continue to have very few designated and no restricted funds so V have fiexibility in how we can spend our money Detai18 of individual accounts Parish G neral Account General Fund(unrestricted) The Parish general fund had a net decrease in cash funds of5210.61 compared to a deease of £6267.33 in 2024. The average monthly running costs were £10,171 compared to £9,142 in 2024. The closing balance in this fund was £119,535.81 Compared to £124,746.42 in 2024. This includes the money in our CBF deposit account with CCLA. General fund (Restricted) Herita e Fund This restricted fund was set up in 2018 on receipt of a grant of £10,000 from the National Heritage Lottery Fund. The majority of the money w8s spent on the project with a balance at the end of 2024 of £440.22. No further money has been added to or spent from this account in 2025. The website has now been Ilnked Wlth our p8fiSh Wèbsite and is accessible through it. Social Fund General Fund (Designated) There has been no movement in or out of the soci81 fund and the balance remains at £507.14. COR Church Hall and St Andrews Hall Accounts Desi nated Hall activity has continued to add significantly to our overall income. Hire rates have again been increased particularly to try and cover the c08t of increasing fuel bills. The cost of the St A hall upgrade was met from hall revenue. Money has been transferred from both hall accounts into the main Darish account to help o)ver day to day costs of running the parish and in preparation for combining the hall accounts we have transferred the majority of the StA hall balance into the CofR hall account. The bank wll to allow us to rename the account to reflect its joint status but we may be exploring alternative banking options in the future. Closing balances: £23,750.95 for COR Hall account £778.80 for St Andrew's Hall account CBF de osit Accoun We continue to use the CBF deposit account for our reserves. We have been drawing on this money when we need funds for projects or to maintain day to day running costs. We have transfeffed £10,000 pounds this year to the parish account to ensure adequate funds were available to cover our
outgoings. As in previous years, the figures in this account are included in the general fund totals. The closing balance for 2025 in the CBF account was £110,213.92 compared with £115,069.17 in 2024 Small Funds COR are and Fellowshi Grou Account The COR Care and Fellowship Group balan at the end of 2025 w8s £1,111.01 made up of a bank balan of £644.33 and a cash balance of £466.68 Friends of St Andrews Account The Friends of SA bank account wa8 closed during the year and the balance transfeed into a designated account within the main parish account. The fund b81ance at the year end was £344.59 made up of a bank balanco of £333.38 and a cash balance of £11.21 Reserves Policy The finance committee again has recommended to the PCC that they continue to invest reserve funds in the CBF Church of England DeF()Sit Fund within which they should retaln sufficient funds to cover 6 months of unrestricted running costs. This would be £70,052.. "total running co8tÉ for 2025 were £140,104 divided by 2- £70,052 Final Note 2025 has been a year of upgrades 8nd repairs with significant changes to St Andrews Hall which have seen a benefit in terms of increased bookings. Energy costs have remained manageable within our Curnt budget although there is a concem that regular giving has fallen and this is impacting on our income. The arrival of the quinquennial reports for both churches has hi9hlighted again the 5ignifiGant repairs that are requlred on both church roofs and our need for some active fundraising over the coming year or two if we are going to be able to afford this work and protect our church buildings from weather damage. We continue to look for cheaper ways to heat our church buildings. In 2026 we wll continue to promote our stewardship message. engage in the Comerstone review project and encourage our parishioners to contribute to the ongoing work of the church vllth donations of time, talents and money. We are, again, 8ubmitting our accounts to Moffls CroGker for indepeiideiil examination. Prc4Juced by Hannah Emerton and Ajison Sheppard On behalf of the Finance team
IIIDEPENDEiif EXAMINEWS HEPORT TO THE TIIIrn OF Ind¢pendoni lMI#89 reportt(• tltru¥t••¥ ol Fvllngton PCC I rwt lo th8 tharfty trUStoeo on my oxanknllon olthB ol F8th9ton PCC (the I11y) tor lh pèrnd ended 81 DKember 2025. RèoEwlbllll•• •rbd bi•l• ol r•port A8 Ihe chaty IN6toes ot the Cknrfty you are resp? the preparalion ofth? a¢(xwls In wmh I uIrWts ol ts Cttarttkn Act 2011 Arfl. I r8Wt kn Mspect of my exarnknatkn of Ihe Chw1Ys aLtounl8 caTrl8d ¢Xrt undw S8rtton 14$ Of1 P&1 In 145(5iibl of ts Act. I have corwed nyaxamknatlon. I cthfm no matthlal mallers hryvecrTrlo rny alknllkn In cl)nrTAlIh tho examlnatlon mo owa• lo baknthdt In ary ro•F4, 1. aUr1(j r¥¢orc wtr• rKl kept In TeyJl of0 Clmthy a• ol th• 4"OT gut Clwilth IILcountsarKI Rw81 28 Olthan ary ruoukqrntht th thts a¢wJnts g a bue a$ h11eW t1 a [c(WlrI as pailofan IndeWenl examlnall)n. I haveno cern8 and havp Come across Th) olhw mter8 knconnectlon wllh the examlnalon lo whk *lenl 8h(¥Ad be thawn In Ihl$ r8wl •rH•a prryjer wKlgrg14tdrnJ ot the nIS lo be ToacW. 2 Port Way P06 4rY
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENfjLAND AND WALES Fartlnwon P¢C Receipts and payments aceounts For the perlod CC16a 01-Jafv25 10 31.1)25 Unr•strtctod funda A•sbqctgd funds Total lunds 2tr25 Totd lund8 2024 1¢ th• Marest t AI A01pt9 Vaun Irtom8 Fmdraising inGorne Irglment in¢ Ir¢omo from chLYeh aCub•8 Oih61 inco 91184 92.184 2,103 83.448 1.797 5.146 33.767 31767 Sub lot•1 (Gross income lorAR) 8,1 129,606 13¥,976 133,976 Total r•celpt$ IW76 133.976 129,608 A2Pa Fundrai4mg traLlng costs Churc* L¥7Sts 1035 138.068 140.101 2.095 1,610 129,198 Iso Sub total 14ffj104 Totalpayments 140.104 1900 Net of recelpW(paymenls) AS Tr¥nslgr$ betwn lundB A4 Cash funds 1081 >Ear èNI Cash funds this year ond Il12n 6,127 150,633 144W6 150,633 144506 151.835 15ON3 Unr•8trl¢t fund$ to lh• n•arort£ Restrfeted funds Toki iunds 2025 Tofyi fvndl 2024 81 Cash funds Parish currerTrt 8Kount No 3 arAx)unt CBF D& .1 accouni LOR Hall auoufji SA Hall attount ReSurrectn Care & Fellowshi FThOrS ol gt Traidcraft Cash in hand (Xv8d to PDEOF ioth• £ 100 110J14 23.751 50 110214 14 779 152 441 441 441 Total ¢8sh fun 144 144506 150,633 B2 Uabllltles Ind& èndont E¥amlngrs' fèè PDBOF. Sts'pV fees owed Total118bilitos 744 744 720 Print Name Date ol JisonSh•
Farflngton Parlsh Paro¢hial Church Councll Notes To The Amalgamated Financlal Statements For Year Ended 31 D•e•mbor 2025 l. Ae¢ounting PolScie$. Thg financial slalements havg been prepargd using Ihe receipts & paymgnls basis in a¢cordance with the Charitie8 Act 2011, the Chur¢h kGounting Regulation$ 2006 and the FRS 102 SORP. 2. Cash Fund& All funds listed al Section B1, except for the Churchyard Fu1 which is held in the CBF Depostt account, are not subject to any reslriclions regarding their use and are available lor the general purposes ol the Parochial Church Councll IPCCI- 3. Assels Retained For The Church's Own Uae. Consecraled and beneficed propety is excluded from Ihe accounts by section 10121 ol Ihe Charities Act 2011. This includes both church halls. No value is placed on moveab5e church furnishings held by thé churchwardens on spocial tnist lor the PCC and which requira a laculty lor disposal $ie the PCC considers this lo be inalienablg property. Approved by the Parochial Chur¢h cour11 on and sign6xI on its behalt by PCC Chalrman
111 ¢411 Ll
oo',u
R8stri Funds- 2 2023 ren l)ptrnlng lund balgn¢• a8 at 0IA112025 Deposit intèrèst tor 2023 SrAont Design & 8uilO 24tk Aw 2023 Transtor from generJ Ind Adlu8trnent C1061ng fund b#lAnee a¥ at 31.12W 1555.15) 1663.67 69.1B I3,288.) 555.15 lJJJ.151 Openkno fund bglant& #s Ot th..202 One ofl r¥)n-recurring gfaiit Totsl payments mada lor Herltage Pmi8Ct Total payments m&d8 for Heritaae Proieet CloslThJ fund balan as 31.112025 44022 44Q22 440.22 ctod In Voluntary IrKom9: Churchyard FUNI Int8r8SI lor a)23 axateo to cnurthyat¢ FuThJ H8ritaoe Fund On8 ott nore¢Urrinll grant Chur¢h Activlties Costs.. Heritage FUTh Paym@nls madg for Heritage Prolgct Trn Transfers.. Heritage Furw Transfer to general lun(S fur payments lated IKorrectty Fund openlng balancè a¥ 01.012024 Total rjonated fund raised Poymonl cf Annud pledgQEI ornount Fund clo•lng bolon¢• g¥ at 31.122024 Stseial F Fund openiftu bal#nco al 01.012025 507.14 r.14 507.14 Fund ¢lo$lno balance ag •131.122025 507.14 507.14 507.14 Andrew$. Font Co Fund openlng balanc• a¥ •t 01.ot.)21 Chthesler Siono wo$ 27th Sept 21 Fund clo¥ing b4l¥nce a8 al 31.122020 Fnd ¢11n9 balance as al 31.122022 1HrI L4rrw loThvaro 10 81.12.dtYd2 1.(#)Om 11,(X)O.001
I Ii.. lijlll Ig 112! aai2a I 511 1 ! ,!! !} ill
hl Bank balance as al 01.01.2025 Pett cash a8 at 01.01.2025 Fund balancg as at 011.21T25 Income Transfer lo n$8s Net (panant)Ir•cpts Fund balane8 u at 31.12.2025 Made Funds hdd in Parish current acGount as at 31.12.2025 Cash in hand as al 31.12.2025 Cash Irangler lo PCC bank 111 644.33 229.38 873.71 403.3 872.71 322.80 1,195.51, 389.001 300.001 522.71 938.01 376.00 arish eneral fund 166 118.50 257. 1 195.51 1,111.01 873.71.. 544.33 466.68 644.33 229.38, 872.71 322.80 250.00 Fund balanGa as al 01.01.2025 Flebei 1¥ 2025 rnents 2025 N•1 receiptsl monts Fund balance Jg at 31.12.2025 Made u ol.. cash on hand Bank balance as at 31.12.2025 116.90 148.90 220.20 -71.30 45.60 9.22 23.09: 117A1 163.41 i 11.21 152.201 344.59 11.21 333.38 1t.30 Bank ban¢0 as al 01.01.2024 Cash Irl harKf at 01.U1.2U24 Fund balan¢9 as at 01.012024 Sales incorne duri 2023 BanK account Inl8r8sl 291.85 17.25 309.10 50.90 Purchases in 2023 Donalionsl Exchan Total nts Net recei tsl Fund balonce at 31.12.2023 Made u ol.. Bank Wance in Parish ae¢ount as at 26.07.2023 Cash in hand at 26.07.2023 Transfer to Ggnera fund 27.07.2023 Trwdcraft aceounl and fund 31.12.20ZJ e made in 21)23 380.00 360.00
Financial Report for Farlington Parish 2025 Parish Finance team Hannah Emerton Jill Collings Jenny and Chris Gibbons Jaye Warren Di Allen S8rah Wlson Sarah Saunders Alison Sheppard Parish Treasurer Deputy Treasurer COR A8318tant Trea3urer StA Assistant Treasurer Halls Manager COR Hall Booking Clerk Gift Aid secretary Bookkeeper and Payroll Independent Examiner Morris Crocker, Chartered Accountants Summary of the year 2025 has been a year of improvement and consolidation desptte increasing challenges around our income. Our regular parish givers have fallen ovar the year (53 in April 2024 -> 45 in Oct 2025) although one off donation5 have increased. Changes to the hall booking system over the year have allowed maximal use of the halls allowing us to increase our rental income. Our main outgoings aro our parish share which, as we continue to pay for our full contribution, accounts for over 50Yo of our expenditure, our energy bills and ongoing maintenance of both churches. Energy bills have not been as high as anticipated and towards the end of the year we signed up to a different energy provider wnose lower costs have alSowed us to use offset green gas rather than brown gas which has supported our ongoing Eco status. However, the changeover ha3 been a little delayed in tems of payments and so some of our 2025 energy costs will be deferred into 2026. We have paid for major refurbishment work at St Andrews hall including replacement of the lights, some of the window units and blinds and redecoration throughout. A new water heater has been installed and the locks have been changed with new keys provided to all the regular hall users. As part of our efforts to become more environmentally friendly, new LED lights have been installed in St Andrews hall, part of St Andr8w8 church and the small hall, lobby and office at Church of the Resurrection. We were SUssful in our application for a Quick vnS Grant which has covered 60Yo of the cost. We have changed the photocopier in the office and the new contract allows us to print for a much reduc£d pri per copy. We continue to provide photocopying for other local groups which covers some of the costs of the photocopier ntaI.
Other financial outgoings this year have included garden maintenance and removal of a very overgrown hedge at CofR Our nominated charities have benefitted from the generosity of parishioners at several service8 where the collections have been allocated to a specifiG Gharity as well as other fundraising events. In 2025 the following amounts have been transferred to our nominated charities.. P8ulsgrove Food Bank - £896.86. Hope into Action- £960, Compassion - £40.65. TWAM £539.25 and a new charity this year, Aggie Westons - £430. Regular deliveries of food and household goods are taken to the food bank throughout the year as well as the extra donations that result from the reverse advent calendar. Other events, many of them musical, have raised money specifically for the Ralse the Roots fund and now that we have the quinquennial report for both churches we anticipate that we will need to look more actively at grant application8 to rai8e the necessary funds for roof repairs at both ¢hurthe8. The income generated from fees for funerals and weddings remains a rel8tNety small parl of our income but the interest rates on our savings account continue to help cover our costs without needing to use too much of our reserves. The halls at both ends of the Parish continue to generate healthy revenue and the ¢xmbined booking system and invoicing prOdureS have allowed us to maximize the use of all the halls. The newly decorated hall at St Andrews has attracted new regular iM)okings to replace some that wor8 previously lost and the gradual creation of a hall access team has spread the load a little bit sharing out opening and dosing of the halls and allowing more flexibility for our renters. The diocese has introduced a new online accounting system - MyFundAccounting and a similar one for gift aid- MyGivingonline which we have reviewed, trialed and decided to adopt for the coming year. We are planning to combine the hall bank accounts for 2026 to allow more streamlined financial protssses. INe continue to promote the theme of stewardship and generosity through our services and prayers and 8re signing up to the Cornerstone project, promoted by the diocese, which allows us to take a more in depth look at our parish giving and congregation attitudes to this as well as providing useful ideas on how to actively engage in fundraising and grant applicats'ons Our total income over th8 yaar was £133,976 compared with £129,606 in 2024 Our total expenditure was £140,104 compared with £130808 in 2024 We have therefore ended 2025 with an overall deficit income over expenditure of £6,127
The total funds in all of our accounts at the end of 2025 are £144,506 compared with £150.633 in 2024. We continue to have very few designated and no restricted funds so V have fiexibility in how we can spend our money Detai18 of individual accounts Parish G neral Account General Fund(unrestricted) The Parish general fund had a net decrease in cash funds of5210.61 compared to a deease of £6267.33 in 2024. The average monthly running costs were £10,171 compared to £9,142 in 2024. The closing balance in this fund was £119,535.81 Compared to £124,746.42 in 2024. This includes the money in our CBF deposit account with CCLA. General fund (Restricted) Herita e Fund This restricted fund was set up in 2018 on receipt of a grant of £10,000 from the National Heritage Lottery Fund. The majority of the money w8s spent on the project with a balance at the end of 2024 of £440.22. No further money has been added to or spent from this account in 2025. The website has now been Ilnked Wlth our p8fiSh Wèbsite and is accessible through it. Social Fund General Fund (Designated) There has been no movement in or out of the soci81 fund and the balance remains at £507.14. COR Church Hall and St Andrews Hall Accounts Desi nated Hall activity has continued to add significantly to our overall income. Hire rates have again been increased particularly to try and cover the c08t of increasing fuel bills. The cost of the St A hall upgrade was met from hall revenue. Money has been transferred from both hall accounts into the main Darish account to help o)ver day to day costs of running the parish and in preparation for combining the hall accounts we have transferred the majority of the StA hall balance into the CofR hall account. The bank wll to allow us to rename the account to reflect its joint status but we may be exploring alternative banking options in the future. Closing balances: £23,750.95 for COR Hall account £778.80 for St Andrew's Hall account CBF de osit Accoun We continue to use the CBF deposit account for our reserves. We have been drawing on this money when we need funds for projects or to maintain day to day running costs. We have transfeffed £10,000 pounds this year to the parish account to ensure adequate funds were available to cover our
outgoings. As in previous years, the figures in this account are included in the general fund totals. The closing balance for 2025 in the CBF account was £110,213.92 compared with £115,069.17 in 2024 Small Funds COR are and Fellowshi Grou Account The COR Care and Fellowship Group balan at the end of 2025 w8s £1,111.01 made up of a bank balan of £644.33 and a cash balance of £466.68 Friends of St Andrews Account The Friends of SA bank account wa8 closed during the year and the balance transfeed into a designated account within the main parish account. The fund b81ance at the year end was £344.59 made up of a bank balanco of £333.38 and a cash balance of £11.21 Reserves Policy The finance committee again has recommended to the PCC that they continue to invest reserve funds in the CBF Church of England DeF()Sit Fund within which they should retaln sufficient funds to cover 6 months of unrestricted running costs. This would be £70,052.. "total running co8tÉ for 2025 were £140,104 divided by 2- £70,052 Final Note 2025 has been a year of upgrades 8nd repairs with significant changes to St Andrews Hall which have seen a benefit in terms of increased bookings. Energy costs have remained manageable within our Curnt budget although there is a concem that regular giving has fallen and this is impacting on our income. The arrival of the quinquennial reports for both churches has hi9hlighted again the 5ignifiGant repairs that are requlred on both church roofs and our need for some active fundraising over the coming year or two if we are going to be able to afford this work and protect our church buildings from weather damage. We continue to look for cheaper ways to heat our church buildings. In 2026 we wll continue to promote our stewardship message. engage in the Comerstone review project and encourage our parishioners to contribute to the ongoing work of the church vllth donations of time, talents and money. We are, again, 8ubmitting our accounts to Moffls CroGker for indepeiideiil examination. Prc4Juced by Hannah Emerton and Ajison Sheppard On behalf of the Finance team
IIIDEPENDEiif EXAMINEWS HEPORT TO THE TIIIrn OF Ind¢pendoni lMI#89 reportt(• tltru¥t••¥ ol Fvllngton PCC I rwt lo th8 tharfty trUStoeo on my oxanknllon olthB ol F8th9ton PCC (the I11y) tor lh pèrnd ended 81 DKember 2025. RèoEwlbllll•• •rbd bi•l• ol r•port A8 Ihe chaty IN6toes ot the Cknrfty you are resp? the preparalion ofth? a¢(xwls In wmh I uIrWts ol ts Cttarttkn Act 2011 Arfl. I r8Wt kn Mspect of my exarnknatkn of Ihe Chw1Ys aLtounl8 caTrl8d ¢Xrt undw S8rtton 14$ Of1 P&1 In 145(5iibl of ts Act. I have corwed nyaxamknatlon. I cthfm no matthlal mallers hryvecrTrlo rny alknllkn In cl)nrTAlIh tho examlnatlon mo owa• lo baknthdt In ary ro•F4, 1. aUr1(j r¥¢orc wtr• rKl kept In TeyJl of0 Clmthy a• ol th• 4"OT gut Clwilth IILcountsarKI Rw81 28 Olthan ary ruoukqrntht th thts a¢wJnts g a bue a$ h11eW t1 a [c(WlrI as pailofan IndeWenl examlnall)n. I haveno cern8 and havp Come across Th) olhw mter8 knconnectlon wllh the examlnalon lo whk *lenl 8h(¥Ad be thawn In Ihl$ r8wl •rH•a prryjer wKlgrg14tdrnJ ot the nIS lo be ToacW. 2 Port Way P06 4rY
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENfjLAND AND WALES Fartlnwon P¢C Receipts and payments aceounts For the perlod CC16a 01-Jafv25 10 31.1)25 Unr•strtctod funda A•sbqctgd funds Total lunds 2tr25 Totd lund8 2024 1¢ th• Marest t AI A01pt9 Vaun Irtom8 Fmdraising inGorne Irglment in¢ Ir¢omo from chLYeh aCub•8 Oih61 inco 91184 92.184 2,103 83.448 1.797 5.146 33.767 31767 Sub lot•1 (Gross income lorAR) 8,1 129,606 13¥,976 133,976 Total r•celpt$ IW76 133.976 129,608 A2Pa Fundrai4mg traLlng costs Churc* L¥7Sts 1035 138.068 140.101 2.095 1,610 129,198 Iso Sub total 14ffj104 Totalpayments 140.104 1900 Net of recelpW(paymenls) AS Tr¥nslgr$ betwn lundB A4 Cash funds 1081 >Ear èNI Cash funds this year ond Il12n 6,127 150,633 144W6 150,633 144506 151.835 15ON3 Unr•8trl¢t fund$ to lh• n•arort£ Restrfeted funds Toki iunds 2025 Tofyi fvndl 2024 81 Cash funds Parish currerTrt 8Kount No 3 arAx)unt CBF D& .1 accouni LOR Hall auoufji SA Hall attount ReSurrectn Care & Fellowshi FThOrS ol gt Traidcraft Cash in hand (Xv8d to PDEOF ioth• £ 100 110J14 23.751 50 110214 14 779 152 441 441 441 Total ¢8sh fun 144 144506 150,633 B2 Uabllltles Ind& èndont E¥amlngrs' fèè PDBOF. Sts'pV fees owed Total118bilitos 744 744 720 Print Name Date ol JisonSh•
Farflngton Parlsh Paro¢hial Church Councll Notes To The Amalgamated Financlal Statements For Year Ended 31 D•e•mbor 2025 l. Ae¢ounting PolScie$. Thg financial slalements havg been prepargd using Ihe receipts & paymgnls basis in a¢cordance with the Charitie8 Act 2011, the Chur¢h kGounting Regulation$ 2006 and the FRS 102 SORP. 2. Cash Fund& All funds listed al Section B1, except for the Churchyard Fu1 which is held in the CBF Depostt account, are not subject to any reslriclions regarding their use and are available lor the general purposes ol the Parochial Church Councll IPCCI- 3. Assels Retained For The Church's Own Uae. Consecraled and beneficed propety is excluded from Ihe accounts by section 10121 ol Ihe Charities Act 2011. This includes both church halls. No value is placed on moveab5e church furnishings held by thé churchwardens on spocial tnist lor the PCC and which requira a laculty lor disposal $ie the PCC considers this lo be inalienablg property. Approved by the Parochial Chur¢h cour11 on and sign6xI on its behalt by PCC Chalrman
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R8stri Funds- 2 2023 ren l)ptrnlng lund balgn¢• a8 at 0IA112025 Deposit intèrèst tor 2023 SrAont Design & 8uilO 24tk Aw 2023 Transtor from generJ Ind Adlu8trnent C1061ng fund b#lAnee a¥ at 31.12W 1555.15) 1663.67 69.1B I3,288.) 555.15 lJJJ.151 Openkno fund bglant& #s Ot th..202 One ofl r¥)n-recurring gfaiit Totsl payments mada lor Herltage Pmi8Ct Total payments m&d8 for Heritaae Proieet CloslThJ fund balan as 31.112025 44022 44Q22 440.22 ctod In Voluntary IrKom9: Churchyard FUNI Int8r8SI lor a)23 axateo to cnurthyat¢ FuThJ H8ritaoe Fund On8 ott nore¢Urrinll grant Chur¢h Activlties Costs.. Heritage FUTh Paym@nls madg for Heritage Prolgct Trn Transfers.. Heritage Furw Transfer to general lun(S fur payments lated IKorrectty Fund openlng balancè a¥ 01.012024 Total rjonated fund raised Poymonl cf Annud pledgQEI ornount Fund clo•lng bolon¢• g¥ at 31.122024 Stseial F Fund openiftu bal#nco al 01.012025 507.14 r.14 507.14 Fund ¢lo$lno balance ag •131.122025 507.14 507.14 507.14 Andrew$. Font Co Fund openlng balanc• a¥ •t 01.ot.)21 Chthesler Siono wo$ 27th Sept 21 Fund clo¥ing b4l¥nce a8 al 31.122020 Fnd ¢11n9 balance as al 31.122022 1HrI L4rrw loThvaro 10 81.12.dtYd2 1.(#)Om 11,(X)O.001
I Ii.. lijlll Ig 112! aai2a I 511 1 ! ,!! !} ill
hl Bank balance as al 01.01.2025 Pett cash a8 at 01.01.2025 Fund balancg as at 011.21T25 Income Transfer lo n$8s Net (panant)Ir•cpts Fund balane8 u at 31.12.2025 Made Funds hdd in Parish current acGount as at 31.12.2025 Cash in hand as al 31.12.2025 Cash Irangler lo PCC bank 111 644.33 229.38 873.71 403.3 872.71 322.80 1,195.51, 389.001 300.001 522.71 938.01 376.00 arish eneral fund 166 118.50 257. 1 195.51 1,111.01 873.71.. 544.33 466.68 644.33 229.38, 872.71 322.80 250.00 Fund balanGa as al 01.01.2025 Flebei 1¥ 2025 rnents 2025 N•1 receiptsl monts Fund balance Jg at 31.12.2025 Made u ol.. cash on hand Bank balance as at 31.12.2025 116.90 148.90 220.20 -71.30 45.60 9.22 23.09: 117A1 163.41 i 11.21 152.201 344.59 11.21 333.38 1t.30 Bank ban¢0 as al 01.01.2024 Cash Irl harKf at 01.U1.2U24 Fund balan¢9 as at 01.012024 Sales incorne duri 2023 BanK account Inl8r8sl 291.85 17.25 309.10 50.90 Purchases in 2023 Donalionsl Exchan Total nts Net recei tsl Fund balonce at 31.12.2023 Made u ol.. Bank Wance in Parish ae¢ount as at 26.07.2023 Cash in hand at 26.07.2023 Transfer to Ggnera fund 27.07.2023 Trwdcraft aceounl and fund 31.12.20ZJ e made in 21)23 380.00 360.00