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2022-12-31-accounts

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

THE ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING 2023

Saturday 4 March 2023 at 10:30am In Wymondham Abbey

The Annual Vestry Meeting of Parishioners for the Election of Churchwardens

AGENDA

  1. Opening prayer

  2. Statement by the Reverend Canon Christopher Davies, Interim Priest-in-charge

  3. To elect and appoint two churchwardens.

  4. Meeting closes

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

THE ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING 2023 Saturday 4 March 2023 at 10:30am

AGENDA

  1. Apologies

  2. To receive reports:

  3. a. Electoral Roll

  4. b. Proceedings of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) and the activities of the parish during 2022

  5. c. Financial reports:

    1. a comment on the examined accounts for year ending 31 Dec. 2021

    2. a statement for the year ending 31 Dec. 2022

  6. d. Fabric report

  7. e. Deanery Synod report – none (the Deanery Synod did not meet in 2022)

  8. To elect four parochial representatives of the laity to the Deanery Synod for a three-year term

  9. To elect up to 15 members to the Parochial Church Council for a three-year term

  10. To appoint a person to be the independent examiner of the PCC for 2022/2023

  11. To consider the option of other means of voting at future APCMs to enable those who couldn’t attend the meeting to vote. This had been discussed recently by the present PCC and agreed in principle.

  12. Any other business

  13. Address by Reverend Canon Christopher Davies

The Blessing

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

STATUTORY REPORTS

ELECTORAL ROLL REPORT

A completely new roll has been prepared for this year as previous records were incomplete and contained many errors. There are 158 names on the roll of whom 25 live outside the parish. 57 had not been listed on the previous roll.

Barbara Randall, Acting Electoral Roll Officer

PCC REPORT

It is thought that two PCC meetings took place in January and March 2022 but records are incomplete. The ‘APCM’ held on Sunday 29 May 2022 was declared null and void by the Archdeacon, as was the APCM held in 2021.

On 12 July 2022 Bishop Graham Usher and Bishop Alan Winton met the six members of the PCC and Treasurer, Peter Bussey. Following this meeting the Living was suspended and Jim Hartley and Brian Randall were appointed interim churchwardens.

The PCC met five times during the remainder of the year. The PCC’s main concern during this time was to: address the poor state of the finances, welcome back worshippers and the wider community and visitors into the life of the Abbey. The reports below will provide ample evidence that thanks to our ever-growing team of volunteers that our church community is thriving.

Barbara Randall, Acting PCC Secretary

ABBEY SERVICES

During 2022 there were:

7 weddings, 2 marriage blessings / renewal of vows plus one wedding in Spooner Row

13 funerals plus 1 memorial service and 3 internments of ashes,

Weekly attendance at the Sunday and Feast Day Eucharists:

from 1 January to 30 June an average of 47 and from 1 July to 31 December an average of 81

In September Morning and Evening Prayer were reinstated on weekdays (attendances averaged 5 for MP and 4 for EP. Evening Prayer with hymns on Sundays had an average attendance of 14, this figure excludes the services for All Souls (67) and Advent Carols (82). 320 people attended the Town Remembrance Service.

A weekly Wednesday morning Eucharist was recommenced on 30 November; average attendance was 8. Christmas services had record attendances totalling over 1,400 at: two school carol services (a third had to be cancelled because of icy roads), Christingle Service, Carol Service, Crib Service, Midnight Mass and two Eucharist services on Christmas Day.

Barbara Randall, Acting PCC Secretary

PASTORAL VISITS

Following his return to the Abbey in September 2022 Fr Christopher began a programme of visiting people whom he knew had not attended public worship for some time, including the housebound.

From this has evolved a regular monthly programme of taking the Reserved Sacrament to any who are unable to get to the Abbey. Currently 16 people receive Holy Communion at home once a month. In addition to Fr Christopher, this ministry is now continued by Kay Dorling and Morwenna Thomas who have been licensed by the Bishop as lay Eucharistic Ministers. They will be joined by Paul and Sonia Wood in due course.

If you know anyone who would welcome a visit at home, please let Fr Christopher or one of the team know. Fr Christopher

FINANCE REPORT

The Treasurer’s Report for the Year ending 2022 is at the end of this document, following the reports on Parish activities.

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

FABRIC REPORT

Looking back, the past year has been surprisingly busy on the fabric side.

We had some tweaks made to our new lighting system after its first year to enhance a few areas of the building, and the Italian manufacturer sent a professional photographer to get a case study for their website. Moving outside, plans were begun to replace the now defunct floodlighting and upgrade the lights in the churchyard paths, and hopefully this will move forward in 2023.

As the weather improved in April we had a much anticipated visit from Wallwalkers, who specialise in rope climbing and abseiling surveys and repairs to historic buildings. Having recently been up to the top of Norwich Cathedral Spire to replace the weathervane, our ruined East tower didn’t present much of a challenge to them. They found a number of areas of loose masonry which will need repairs and both the covered walkway under the tower and the protective fence will have to stay in place until this is completed.

The roofs were inspected in detail by our architect again and repairs are planned for early summer 2023 to fix the increasing number of leaks. Those volunteers at the welcome desk will have noticed a leak plan to fill in on rainy days.

We also had a survey on the roofs to implement safety harnesses for those contractors that have to climb up, but as yet have not found a system that is usable and suitable for a historic building.

Repairs were carried out to all the emergency lighting in the new extension which had stopped working, and also upgrades to the lighting in the tower staircases have been planned as it can be dark for bellringers and organists especially in the winter.

There were visits by the DAC in January and April to assess the state of the building and how much of the HLF interior layout was still in place. As a result the Abbey applied for an Omnibus confirmatory faculty which basically had the effect of restoring the interior layout back to the 2016 arrangement, including position of the shop, chamber organ and other items, as well as giving official permission for allowing space behind the altars for the celebrants to face the congregation.

In preparation for Father Christopher’s licensing in September the Friends agreed to fund the refinishing of the parquet flooring in the Nave, and that in the Aisles has since been completed, resulting in a much cleaner and smoother surface. The contractors remarked how hard the oak was and how solid the floor had remained in the past 100 years.

There has been a lot of catching up with routine but important maintenance to lighting conductors, boilers and electrics as well as the alarm systems to ensure the building is safe and warm for its occupants.

It will be no surprise to learn that the Abbey’s energy bills have been soaring despite best efforts with managing supplier contracts, and it now makes up our largest single expense, as it probably does for many of the congregation.

Looking into 2023, we hope to progress repairs on the roof and East tower, as well as finding a safer method of access there for our contractors. The sound system will be installed, and we will move on with plans for lighting the outside.

As ever we are indebted to the advice and great generosity of the Wymondham Abbey Preservation Trust in funding most of this work.

Andrew Naylor, Fabric Officer

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

REPORTS OF PARISH ACTIVITIES

HOLY TRINITY SPOONER ROW

Holy Trinity Spooner Row continues to thrive with a Eucharist every second Sunday and a Service of the Word every fourth Sunday. Both start at 11.00am.

We continued to have Coffee and Chat meetings every 4th Sunday post Covid until officially we were allowed to hold our regular services. Through tremendous support from the Bishop of Norwich and the Archdeacon over the past few years it is so pleasing to report of the community out-reach of our little church to many people.

Two groups, Norwich Music Group (NMG) and The Norfolk West Gallery Quire rehearse regularly and bring further ‘life’ to the Church. Our grateful thanks to Fr Tony Snasdell for all his leadership in our Eucharist Services.

Our congregation come from Spooner Row, Wymondham and surrounding villages – all are welcome. Philip Aldred

ABBEY FAIRS

During 2022 we held three fairs, Easter, Summer and Christmas. Since Covid we have used the services of Julie Briggs from a local business Clear Company . She organises and publicises our fairs bringing a wealth of experience. The fairs are well-attended community events, not just craft and food stalls. There is a large focus on families and well-being, live music, and also workshops for both adults and children. The feedback we have from the community and stallholders has been very positive and people book space for all three events.

The café run by Abbey volunteers and the Tombola have always made a very good profit. Both rely heavily on volunteers to run them, as well as a source for prizes for the tombola. Our main income from the fairs comes from the hiring of stall space (over £5,000 was raised from the stall-holders for the three fairs).

ABBEY FLOWERS

‘Flower Power’ – From the day we are born to the day we die flowers are part of our lives, we give and receive them as tokens of love and thanks. The name of each flower has a meaning. We display them to celebrate special occasions, they brighten our homes and give us pleasure in growing and nurturing them in our gardens so what better way to express our joy and love of flowers than to see them enhancing our beautiful Abbey.

It has been most rewarding to have so many people expressing their delight at having flowers again in the Abbey. We are grateful to Andy Free (Independent Funeral Director) for sponsoring the flowers which our small team arrange week by week. We would welcome more to join us. You do not have to be an expert flowerarranger, guidance can be given.

We would also welcome anyone who would like to sponsor flowers in memory of a loved one, an anniversary or special occasion. We are happy to do wedding flowers by special arrangement. If you are interested in joining the team or would like to help with watering, please contact Ann Hammond or Anne Johnson.

Doris Waymark

ABBEY GARDEN PARTY

This was held on Sunday 26 June at the home of Kay and Geoffrey Dorling. It had been planned simply as an opportunity for the adults and children of the congregation to enjoy tea, cakes and home-made ice cream in a lovely garden. However, that morning Mother Catherine made the surprise announcement that she was leaving the Abbey with immediate effect. The Garden Party, attended by about 50 people was therefore also a Farewell.

Margaret Hartley

Hayley Cornwall

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

ABBEY HALL

Plans are being put in place to reopen the Hall for letting to the public. Press articles promoting the Hall will appear in the next edition of Wymondham News and Village People. However, after the eviction of all the previous organizations who were long term users, the rebuilding of income will take a considerable period of time. Hilary Hunter

BELL RINGERS

Bells resumed regular ringing in February 2022 after the cessation for Covid. Since then, they have been rung regularly for Sunday morning services, weddings and some funerals. Bells also marked the Platinum Jubilee and the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, as part of the national commemoration. Hayden Charles

CAFE

BABY AND TODDLER GROUP

The Abbey Baby and Toddler group launched in December and aims to provide a space for babies, young children and their carers to meet and play in a warm, welcoming Christian environment. There has been a real need in the community for places where carers and children can meet, especially since the pandemic. We want the group to be open to all, so it is free to attend, but many choose to make a donation towards the running costs. Cash donations are around £1-2 per child. Some carers use the card machine to make donations.

We received a grant from the Papillon Trust which we used to buy larger items including colourful carpets, mats and a play kitchen. Many of our resources and toys were generously donated.

The group is proving very popular and the numbers of children attending have tripled since our first session. We now welcome between 50 and 60 children each week.

The session runs from 9.30-11.30 each Thursday morning during term time. We provide lots of toys for the children to play with, as well as craft activities, messy play, stories, singing, snacks for the children, and refreshments for their careers. It has been a privilege to work with a small group of dedicated volunteers who generously give up their time each week to make the group a success. Moving forward, we hope to increase our volunteer numbers to allow some rotation. Lorna Goodrich

From January to June the Abbey and Cafe were open to visitors on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours were increased in the later part of the year but there were not always volunteers in the café. Jim Hartley

CENTERING PRESENCE

Be still and know that I am God

This was held weekly in the Abbey, and on Zoom, until the end of June, led by Mother Catherine. From July Dr Gill Gray led the small group on Tuesday mornings at 10.30. Centering Presence is a form of meditation that relies on silence and stillness to bring us close to God and rest in His presence. It is an oasis of peace in the midst of life filled with ‘to do’ lists. Describing the spiritual renewal and energising of the soul that this engenders is very difficult to put down on paper. Come and join us and experience it yourself. Kay Dorling

CHOIR

A choir was reconvened for the occasion of the Licensing of Fr Christopher as Interim Priest-incharge in September. It was the first time a choir had sung from the choir stalls in the chancel for over three years and was a very moving occasion for all of us. Since then, we have formed a choir for special services: All Souls on 30 October, the Advent carol service on 27 November and the Christmas carol service on 18 December. Our small group was initiated by Tony Bussell and ably supported on the organ by the splendid accompaniment of Peter O’Connor.

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

From November Ruth Brett took up the baton and her musicianship and teaching skills have guided us with great patience and sensitivity. We look forward to 2023 and being able to take a more regular role in weekly worship. We need to grow in strength and would welcome new members. If you love to sing then please consider joining us and share our experience of making music to the glory of God in Wymondham Abbey. Barbara Randall

CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL

This very popular event returned. 1,500 people attended on Wymondham’s Wynterfest Sunday. The event helped put the Abbey back into the community. Various organisations took part and decorated a tree. Many said how pleased they were that the Abbey was open to all and actively welcoming visitors. The event was supported by Wymondham Garden Centre. Rosemary Heylings

members of Greening Wymondham and Wymondham Nature Group. Ann Roberts from Wyng has kindly agreed to lead surveys throughout the year, beginning in March. A proposed Churchyard Management Plan, which includes events such as in Hedgehog Awareness and Cherishing Churchyards Weeks, will be presented to the new PCC for approval. Hilary Hunter

DISCUSSION GROUPS 2022

There were two discussion/reflection series during 2022, one in Lent, the other in Advent. Both were facilitated by Jim Hartley.

Ponderings in Lent :

Six people attended three sessions based on extracts from the poem ‘Leisure’ by W H Davies, supported by extracts from Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels. The themes were broadly around:

Dealing with worry and anxiety Seeing beyond the ‘mundane’ in life Appreciating God in nature

Preparing for Christmas

CHURCHYARD and HERB GARDEN

The medieval herb garden has been restored with replacement plants and brass nameplates using profits from herb sales. These have also paid for professional help when needed in the churchyard.

The Wildflower and Wildlife Conservation Areas have been re-instated. Pathways have been mown around the wildflower area, the labyrinth and the Garden of Remembrance, the area behind which will be allowed to grow wild again for the protection of wildlife. A woodpile has been started for hedgehogs and other creatures and the bug hotel re-stocked. A new compost bin has been built. Wymondham Abbey Roses along the boundary walls have been winter pruned with new growth tied onto retaining wires. Gulleys are kept clear and steps to the West Door clear of weeds. Supported by Eco Church and Norfolk Wildlife Trust, a great team of volunteers – The Abbey Churchyard Team (ACT) – which includes

Ten people attended three sessions reflecting around our experiences of Christmas past and how we might best prepare for this momentous event. A fresh look at what God has given to us and what we in turn can give to Him – a time for giving, getting and forgetting.

FELLOWSHIP GROUP

A small group (around 6) met regularly on Monday afternoons for coffee and fellowship in the first half of the year.

PASTORAL CARE COURSE

January 2022 saw the last session of a six-month pastoral care course led by Mother Catherine. Six members attended.

‘HYGGE’ – QUIET SPACE GROUP

Designed for High School pupils who appreciated the opportunity for a quiet space to do homework, play board games, drink pop, and generally chill out. Numbers were small but the

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

space was appreciated by those who came. The group also met occasionally on Sundays for Alpaca walks, pizza lunches and games. Jim Hartley

FOOD PARCELS

During 2022 we supported families that reached out to us for help during the school holidays when free school meals were not available. We helped eleven families with a total of 29 children. We had support from a Norwich organisation who help feed the homeless called Anon. They donated dry goods and cupboard staples. Usually in the parcels we would include a recipe with ingredients for the children to make or some craft from our stock.

During 2022, we sent parcels out in the Easter Holidays and May half-term. We had contacted families via Facebook but lost contact after the FB page was taken down. In October we gave out Morrisons food vouchers and set up a town foodbank collection point in the Abbey porch. Hayley Cornwall

GODLY PLAY

Godly Play continued to be an integral part of the Sunday Eucharist. Numbers varied from five to ten children plus parents. Until July the activity table was situated near the High Altar where the children could closely observe the preparation for and distribution of the Eucharist. Since then the activity table has been in the Lady Chapel. Jim Hartley

MUSIC IN THE ABBEY

There were no formal concerts in 2022 prior to the departure of Rev Catherine Relf-Pennington. Since July, the new leadership team has been keen to encourage music in the Abbey. Concerts are an important aspect of our outreach, helping to bring people into the Abbey who might not otherwise visit. They are also an import source of revenue from: hire of Abbey for external organisations, tickets sales for events we organise ourselves and Interval refreshments.

There were three public concerts in 2022: The Cavick Quartet gave an afternoon recital on Sunday 20 November. We had an audience of 50 and raised a considerable sum from the retiring collection. We are grateful to the Cavick Quartet for giving their services free.

The local branch of The Zipper Club held a Christmas themed concert on 11 December. This was a charity fund-raising event involving two local choirs and New Buckenham Silver Band. The Abbey was full and the Zipper Club were very pleased with whole event. They are planning to return, possibly in 2023 or 2024. The Band would also like to hold another concert in 2023.

On 20 December the Norwich Citadel Band gave a Christmas carol concert to fund-raise for the Abbey. We were delighted with the size of the audience, who were very appreciative. A private recording session also brought in revenue for use of the Abbey one evening. In the run up to Christmas two local schools, Ashleigh and Wymondham High Academy, held Christmas services. The church was packed for both these joyful occasions. Robert Kett sadly had to cancel their event at short notice. We have adopted the booking and invoicing systems (as approved by the PCC) and are now trying to expand our team of concert stewards who are so valuable in ensuring the Abbey is a welcoming and smooth-running venue. An important aspect of this is the provision of interval refreshments. We serve tea, coffee, fruit juice and wine (obtained sale or return from Reno’s). The team is able to refresh 200 people in 20 minutes but it requires careful organisation! Brian Randall

PARISH LUNCHES

We are pleased to say that the monthly parish lunches have started again. This is down to the hard work of a team of the most fantastic volunteers. They have given tirelessly of their time to create several superb lunches. Lunches such as the harvest lunch and Christmas lunch

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

attracted just over 80 people who enjoyed a three-course meal. We have now established teams to run the lunches to ensure their longevity. Special thanks to Joyce who has done an excellent job overseeing ticket sales. Robert Culyer

PUBLICITY: SOCIAL MEDIA and the WEBSITE

With limited resources, we have been slowly developing our publicity to widen the reach and appeal of our messages. Initially this has been concentrated on the website and Facebook pages but will be widened in the coming months to include other electronic media, as well as printed media and posters.

We had to start a new Facebook page , as the old one was linked to the personal FB page of the previous incumbent. With regular postings about topical subjects and activities the postings have attracted a wide following, with a total reach of over 4,000. We will be looking at other social media such as Instagram and Twitter during 2023.

The website we inherited was not really fit for purpose, being hard to use and containing only limited information. Rather than going for the expensive option of developing a new website, our treasurer (who has much experience in these matters) has been adapting and updating the existing site. We will continue this process in 2023.

We have a weekly pewslip , the back page of which is devoted to notices of activities, requests for help and other general information; the aim is to ensure that our regular (and occasional) worshippers know what’s happening in and around the Abbey.

Publicising what we are and what we do is an important aspect of our outreach and mission. We need to reach members of the congregation, the local community and community groups, visitors and anyone else who does or may interact with us. There is much to do on this front, and we will be looking for additional help as our scope develops.

Brian Randall

SAFEGUARDING AT WYMONDHAM ABBEY

Since mid-September 2022 Hayley Cornwall, the Parish Manager, has been working to put a plan in place to get everyone who works and volunteers at the Abbey to have the relevant Safeguarding training and DBS checks if their position requires it.

The Abbey’s PSO is Catherine Mack but as she is currently unable to fufill this role, Paul Wood has been assigned the Abbey’s temporary PSO. All volunteers, and anyone that works/helps at the Abbey, are required to complete a volunteer information form. Depending on their role, Hayley will then send them a welcome message from Fr Christopher and personalised instructions by email of how to complete their required Safeguarding training. If needed they will also be asked to complete a DBS check. Everyone is expected to complete and return a CDF (Confidential Declaration Form). As of 26 Jan 23 we have 57 people on our database. All 57 should have completed some sort of SG training / 35 still need to complete their full training. All 57 should have completed and returned their CDF / 37 still need to do this. All DBS checks are completed except one. Hayley Cornwall

SERVERS

At the start of the year there was a resurgence of Covid and so masks had to be worn again and communion of one kind administered. Covid has taught us how we can maintain the elements of the Abbey Eucharist with a maximum of four servers per service. We welcomed Morwenna, and her experience, was an asset to the team. In spring the High Altar was reduced in size and moved forward so that for the first time in hundreds of years the Priest can face the congregation for all parts of the service. During the interregnum Pauline and I took on additional roles: opening and preparing the church, guiding visiting clergy through the service and closing up afterwards.

After the appointment of Fr Christopher some changes have been made and we have been able

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Registered charity number 1130495

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

to reintroduce the acolyte role. We are very pleased and grateful that volunteers have come forward to help us and welcome Paul and Sonia, Janie, Mimi and James, Isabel and Cordelia. We end the year with eleven in the team, but we need more, especially people who are able to fulfil the role of crucifer.

On a personal note, this will be my final report for the Abbey. My last service after 27 years is on 15 January. I am moving house to be closer to family. I will miss the process of preparing the church and assisting the clergy through the service. It has been an amazing honour and privilege to be able serve in this beautiful Abbey. Nigel Bartram

WARMING WYMONDHAM SPACES

Since Friday 28 October 2022 we have been providing a soup and bread lunch every week whilst providing a warm space. Each week we average 20 people in for the lunch. I have a good team of volunteers who make the soup every week and I provide the homemade bread. It has gone down well with the people who attend regularly.

We were successful in gaining a grant from South Norfolk Council, which has gone towards the heating of the Abbey on a Friday. I also approached Jarrold of Wymondham who very kindly donated two large slow cookers which are used every week to heat the soup. Rosemary Heylings

SHOP

We began reinstating the Abbey shop in early October by moving a few units into a temporary position in the South aisle of the church. There were only a few odds and ends from the ‘old stock’ remaining, and the electronic till and card reader were missing, but thanks to some very generous financial donations we were able to buy some new products and start filling the shelves again. A previous supporter started knitting and donated some hats, scarves and gloves, Father Christopher supplied some honey, and before too long we were up and running and open for business again.

The pre-Christmas period has always been the most profitable, and as all of our Christmas cards were donated by a local company this contributed considerably to us taking several thousand pounds by the end of the year, nearly all profit.

In mid-January all the shop units were moved back to their original position. At the time of writing new stock is being bought to fill up the shelves with a variety of gifts, jewelry, books and Abbey souvenirs. We hope to buy blinds for the shop units soon, quotes are being obtained. All this has been possible because of the help and support of our wonderful volunteers, old and new.

WELCOME DESK, VISITORS AND TOURS

l have been involved in recruitment of volunteers for the Abbey, since the beginning of October 2022. We have currently got twentyfour Welcomers for the desk, of which the majority are new faces. It has been most encouraging to meet so many interesting people keen to help get the Abbey up and running again.

We began taking tours around the Abbey in October last year. The first group were ten retired clergy from Eckling Grange. The largest group was a U3A group from Suffolk of 34 people. We have achieved six tours, including a dozen seven- to eight-year-old Beaver Scouts, who were delightful.

The number of visitors attending the Abbey is gradually increasing: approx 417 in October, 493 in November, 1,500 visited on Wynterfest Day in December. An additional 742 visited for the Carol Concerts, and Christmas Tree Festival. Carol Bolderstone

Sarah Sayer

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

TREASURER’S REPORT

Introduction

I along with the current PCC am not able to comment on the 2021 accounts, except to say that the delay, figures, stress and cost in producing them ‘long after the event’ has been shocking but a salutary reminder to a PCC and the Diocese of what must never be allowed to happen again. I hope we can leave 2021 in the digital archive of the Charity Commission and now look forward to renewed transparency with simple, clear, regular and recorded financial reporting.

For the Year ending December 31[st] , 2022

It will come as no surprise that 2022 was another year of financial uncertainty. The first half followed the pattern of 2021 with extravagant unsustainable spending and with little chance of securing income to fund it, the Abbey being largely closed to visitors. The result was an effective loss of £42,582 but with a new PCC in place since August, we have managed to slowly recover the position to end the year with a positive bank balance and a promising vision for 2023.

The key steps taken to achieve this recovery have been:

We are still in the process of re-instating PCC control over the Spooner Row bank accounts which were abandoned by the previous signatories resulting in extreme difficulty in restoring control. We are confident, however, that there are sufficient funds to pay Spooner Row essential services by existing direct debit until we are able to access them again.

During this financially recovery, we have and will continue to use every pound generously given, wisely and carefully, so it’s important to point out that certain costly ‘luxuries’ such as comfortable heating levels in the Abbey, restoring and polishing of the floors, redecorating and completion of the sound system have all been funded externally by the generosity of the Wymondham Abbey Preservation Trust (WAPT) and Friends of Wymondham Abbey (FWA) without whose ongoing support, the Abbey would not be financially viable. The comfortable heating this winter has resulted in being able to welcome back regular congregations, visitors, Outreach activities such as the weekly Baby and Toddler group, the Friday Winter Warm Spaces and not least an environment for our dedicated volunteers to work in.

Thanks go to many for assisting in this turn-around and particularly to those that have joined the Parish Giving Scheme with regular monthly donations. We must continue to build on this to reach the level of regular giving that the Abbey enjoyed in the distant past. Thanks also to Fr Christopher and the church wardens for advice and understanding of the past situation, Chris Jackson for her long-standing and efficient management of giftaid, Susan Bunting at the Diocese of Norwich for her immediate and abundant help in paying bills while Abbey accounts were inaccessible, Robert Culyer and his Diocesan team for setting up the Parish Giving Scheme, Sarah Sayer and the team for restoring the now thriving shop, Robert Ayers for agreeing to be our independent examiner, Peter Bussey from Abacus Accountants for his help in unraveling the 2022 accounts and the Wymondham Abbey Preservation Trust (WAPT) for having faith in the new PCC to restore their generous and now regular financial support. We look forward to the restoration of the Friends of Wymondham Abbey (FWA) as soon as they have had their March AGM and are able to consider a backlog of requests for 2022.

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

It is still early days to determine how 2023 will progress but with regular donations from the Parish Giving Scheme, ever-increasing and generous visitor donations, a thriving shop, three profitable annual fairs and ticketed music events planned we are now able to meet the monthly running costs and fully intend to pay our full Parish share. During the year, we will be reviewing a clearer and simpler financial reporting system, alternative bank services (Barclays Wymondham branch being closed from April) and improvements to the website. The ongoing success of Wymondham Abbey relies almost entirely on the extraordinary and dedicated contribution of what is now over eighty volunteers so we will continue to develop the volunteer’s portal which allows us to communicate effectively with each other and simplify rotas, wedding, funeral and baptism bookings and share diaries.

With renewed trust in leadership comes generosity in giving and of people’s time, and that comes from open minds, open doors and a warm welcome.

Chris Grant, Treasurer

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Structure, governance and management

The Charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity. The PCC is a corporate body established by the Church of England and operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure. The PCC was registered with the Charity Commission on 9 July 2009 with registration number 1130495. The Church is classified as a charity under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855.

Charity number: 1130495

Objectives and activities

The primary objective of the PCC is the promotion of the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England. The PCC is required to co-operate with the Minister in promoting in the parish the whole message of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, and ecumenical.

The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at the church and to become part of the parish community. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how its services can involve the many groups that live within the parish.

Public benefit

The PCC is aware of the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit. It is also aware of the supplementary guidance relating to religious charities.

The PCC promotes, where allowed, the whole mission of the church through the following activities - regular public worship open to all; pastoral work; provision for the poor, teaching of Christian worship through sermons, courses and small groups; promotion of Christianity through the staging of events and meetings and the distribution of literature; encouragement for all in faith and wellbeing by developing provision in the churchyard, promotion of the whole mission of the Church through activities for all ages.

Principal address: Wymondham Abbey, Church Street, Wymondham, Norfolk, England, NR18 0PH

Detailed information:

Registered Charity Name: The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of SS Mary and Thomas of Canterbury, Wymondham with Silfield and Spooner Row.

Working name: Wymondham Abbey PCC

Bankers: Barclays Bank Plc, 45 Market Street, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 0AL

CCLA Investment Management Ltd, The CBF Church of England Funds, 80 Cheapside, London EC2V 6DZ

Related parties

The PCC is supported by Friends of Wymondham Abbey (registered charity number 1064418). The PCC is also supported by Wymondham Abbey Preservation Trust (registered charity number 1054896).

Independent examiner: Robert Ayers, 2 Clifton Road, Wymondham, NR18 0JB

Page 12

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WYMONDHAM ABBEY with SPOONER ROW

Registered charity number 1130495

Trustees

The Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were: S Martin (Resigned 30 June 2022) CS Lowe (Resigned 1 August 2022) S Ward (Resigned 30 June 2022) Revd. C Relf-Pennington (Resigned 30 June 2022) B Douglass (Resigned 30 June 2022) C Mack K Dorling DS Lyall (Resigned 1 August 2022) VA Coates (Resigned 30 June 2022) R Jackson (Resigned 30 June 2022) M Jordan (Resigned 30 June 2022) T Kelly (Resigned 30 June 2022) P Aldred A Naylor BPM Randall (Appointed 17 July 2022) Revd. Canon CJ Davies, Interim Priest in Charge (Appointed 1 September 2022) C Grant (Appointed 30 October 2022) W Hartley (Appointed 17 July 2022) A Perry (Appointed 29 May 2022)

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Members of the PCC are either ex-officio or elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting in accordance with the Church Representation Rules.

Financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 1 to the financial statements and comply with the Charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)’ (effective 1 January 2019).

Financial review

The results for the year are set out in the Statement of Financial Activities that follow. Net expenditure before - investment gains amounted to £33,456 (2021: £120,628) and after gains on investments of £ 9,126 (2021: £17,629), the net movement in funds for the year was net expenditure of £42,582 (2021: £102,999). The Charity’s net assets at 31 December 2022 amounted to £121,534 (2021: £164,118).

Going concern

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the PCC believes that material uncertainties have mostly been identified. The PCC has considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the PCC to be able to continue as a going concern.

The Trustees’ report was approved by the Board of Trustees on Wednesday 1[st] March 2023

Revd. Canon CJ Davies, Interim Priest in Charge.......................................... Date: 01/03/2023.

Page 13

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A
Independent Examiner’s Report		 Section A
Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees
On accounts for the year
ended
Set out on pages
Responsibilities and
basis of report		 Wymondham Abbey PCC
2022
Charity no
(if any)
1130495
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31stDecember 2022.
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011
(“the Act”).
1/1 1/3 2/3 3/3

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Name: Robert Ayers Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 2 Clifton Road Wymondham

Date: 22/09/2023

Oct 2018

1

IER

Norfolk

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct 2018

2

IER

Wymondham Abbey PCC

Balance Sheet

As of December 31, 2022

TOTAL
AS OF DEC 31, 2022 AS OF DEC 31, 2021 (PY) CHANGE
Fixed Asset
Tangible assets
Office Equipment Cost 56,482.44 56,482.44 0.00
Office Equipment Depreciation -56,482.44 -56,482.44 0.00
Total Tangible assets £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Total Fixed Asset £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Cash at bank and in hand
Abbey Activities account 91.76 118.65 -26.89
Cash in hand 57.76 187.76 -130.00
CCLA (CBF) Account 2,025.55 1,516.64 508.91
Investments 42,778.40 111,904.66 -69,126.26
PCC Main account 40,489.75 13,259.82 27,229.93
PCC Saver account 6.02 10,005.92 -9,999.90
Shop account (Cash & Cheques) 75.00 75.00 0.00
Shop Saver account 0.10 0.10 0.00
Spooner Row Current account 4,250.60 4,250.60 0.00
Spooner Row Saver account 26,591.57 26,591.57 0.00
Vicar and Church Wardens account 961.84 961.84 0.00
Wedding fees account 5,718.07 3,676.03 2,042.04
Total Cash at bank and in hand £123,046.42 £172,548.59 £ -49,502.17
Current Assets
Stocks 636.52 0.00 636.52
Total Current Assets £636.52 £0.00 £636.52
NET CURRENT ASSETS £123,682.94 £172,548.59 £ -48,865.65
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Trade Creditors
Accounts Payable 1,279.69 3,949.92 -2,670.23
Total Trade Creditors £1,279.69 £3,949.92 £ -2,670.23
Current Liabilities
(Deposits for weddings) Loans received 1,050.00 0.00 1,050.00
Accruals -752.56 4,356.00 -5,108.56
Tax and NI Control 571.41 125.54 445.87
Total Current Liabilities £868.85 £4,481.54 £ -3,612.69
Total Creditors: amounts falling due within one year £2,148.54 £8,431.46 £ -6,282.92
NET CURRENT ASSETS (LIABILITIES) £121,534.40 £164,117.13 £ -42,582.73
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES £121,534.40 £164,117.13 £ -42,582.73
TOTAL NET ASSETS (LIABILITIES) £121,534.40 £164,117.13 £ -42,582.73
Charity funds
Retained Earnings 164,117.13 267,116.49 -102,999.36
Surplus/(Deficit) -42,582.73 -102,999.36 60,416.63
Total Charity funds £121,534.40 £164,117.13 £ -42,582.73

Accrual Basis Tuesday, 28 February 2023 06:52 pm GMT+00:00

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Wymondham Abbey PCC

Financial Activities

January - December 2022

TOTAL
JAN - DEC 2022 JAN - DEC 2021 (PY) CHANGE
Income
Abbey tours 220.00 220.00
Activities and events 6,605.22 1,669.19 4,936.03
Bank and building society interest 508.91 503.34 5.57
Donations and legacies 14,276.35 2,658.15 11,618.20
Donations appeals etc 26,258.66 13,504.00 12,754.66
Fees for weddings and funerals 16,031.00 8,970.65 7,060.35
Giving 3,206.87 3,206.87
Gift Aid - Envelopes 610.00 610.00
Loose plate collections 1,846.47 1,846.47
One-off Gift Aid gifts 3,700.00 700.00 3,000.00
Other cash collections 147.28 2,955.18 -2,807.90
Other planned giving 1,075.00 1,715.00 -640.00
Regular tax efficient giving 300.00 3,000.00 -2,700.00
Parish Giving Scheme 2,662.00 2,662.00
Regular Gift Aid - Bank 14,709.00 22,229.00 -7,520.00
Total Regular tax efficient giving 17,671.00 25,229.00 -7,558.00
Service offertory 3,771.24 3,771.24
Small card donations 253.11 119.70 133.41
Tax recoverable on Gift Aid 2,175.50 2,175.50
Total Giving 34,456.47 30,718.88 3,737.59
Non recurring one off grants 15,946.20 21,701.19 -5,754.99
Other funds generated 253.04 1,014.00 -760.96
Parish magazine sales 24.00 -24.00
Recurring grants 11,913.42 11,913.42
Sales income 63.85 -63.85
Cafe sales 1,837.66 1,837.66
Other Products 140.00 140.00
Shop sales 6,857.42 4,067.71 2,789.71
Total Sales income 8,835.08 4,131.56 4,703.52
Uncategorised Income 38.57 0.00 38.57
Total Income £135,342.92 £84,894.96 £50,447.96
TOTAL £135,342.92 £84,894.96 £50,447.96
Expenditures
Administration 9,786.02 2,821.25 6,964.77
Church office telephone 3,095.50 2,408.73 686.77
IT Costs 443.50 1,249.16 -805.66
Office Equipment 991.33 656.90 334.43
Office Supplies, Postage and Stationery 107.48 1,783.78 -1,676.30
Working expenses of incumbent 340.66 221.11 119.55
Total Administration 14,764.49 9,140.93 5,623.56
Advertising/Promotional 572.00 572.00

Accrual Basis Tuesday, 28 February 2023 06:19 pm GMT+00:00

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Wymondham Abbey PCC

Financial Activities

January - December 2022

TOTAL
JAN - DEC 2022 JAN - DEC 2021 (PY) CHANGE
Bank Charges & Fees 1,654.45 2,691.62 -1,037.17
Church maintenance & Cleaning 31,635.00 8,754.55 22,880.45
Cleaning 3,219.71 220.98 2,998.73
Repair and maintenance Abbey -342.00 -342.00
Total Church maintenance & Cleaning 34,512.71 8,975.53 25,537.18
Church major repairs - installation 49,496.80 -49,496.80
Church major repairs - structure 4,638.84 -4,638.84
Church running - utilities 291.25 291.25
Church running - electricity 4,520.71 7,260.02 -2,739.31
Church running - gas 13,802.82 6,066.22 7,736.60
Church running - water 50.29 279.98 -229.69
Water charges Abbey 1,197.88 1,197.88
Total Church running - utilities 19,862.95 13,606.22 6,256.73
Church running insurance 832.35 9,937.79 -9,105.44
Insurance - Spooner Row 626.82 -626.82
Total Church running insurance 832.35 10,564.61 -9,732.26
Church running utilities - Spooner Row 102.09 132.95 -30.86
Costs of fetes & other events 2,838.85 1,920.36 918.49
Costs of services 14,178.36 5,832.76 8,345.60
Church flowers 215.88 215.88
Printing 1,213.61 5,315.40 -4,101.79
Verging 4,822.61 259.17 4,563.44
Total Costs of services 20,430.46 11,407.33 9,023.13
Education and Training 115.00 -115.00
Giving to missionary societies 12.25 12.25
Governance costs examination/audit fee 8,306.50 -8,306.50
Hall running - utilities 130.60 159.33 -28.73
Hall running maintenance 551.14 58.99 492.15
Home mission 1,395.00 4,155.08 -2,760.08
Mission - Consumables 1,765.61 2,040.41 -274.80
Mission - Equipment 309.90 -309.90
Web and social media content 1,197.25 5,072.52 -3,875.27
Total Home mission 4,357.86 11,577.91 -7,220.05
Interest Payable 5.79 5.79
Legal Fees 8,883.80 25,779.30 -16,895.50
Magazine print costs 192.00 -192.00
Ministry parish share etc (Diocesan) 2,823.00 2,162.00 661.00
Organ / piano tuning 517.50 517.50
Other P.C.C. property upkeep 912.00 -912.00
Other Professional Services 230.00 876.75 -646.75
Rent paid (storage) 1,250.72 1,876.08 -625.36
Repair and maintenance Spooner Row 184.00 184.00
Salary of parish administrator 180.55 -180.55

Accrual Basis Tuesday, 28 February 2023 06:19 pm GMT+00:00

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Wymondham Abbey PCC

Financial Activities

January - December 2022

TOTAL
JAN - DEC 2022 JAN - DEC 2021 (PY) CHANGE
Shop Purchases 3,236.33 6,148.50 -2,912.17
Cafe purchases 1,439.61 2,187.82 -748.21
Total Shop Purchases 4,675.94 8,336.32 -3,660.38
Telephone 10.00 1,068.96 -1,058.96
Uncategorised Expenditure 718.17 -718.17
Uncategorised Expense 762.69 113.04 649.65
Upkeep of churchyard 5,568.30 4,005.36 1,562.94
Upkeep of churchyard - Spooner Row 740.00 -740.00
Wages & Salaries 42,472.36 25,075.29 17,397.07
Aviva Pension 524.45 548.13 -23.68
Employment administration 46.90 46.90
HMRC -154.16 0.00 -154.16
Travel and Accommodation 144.90 145.50 -0.60
Wages & Salaries Aviva Life 231.00 231.00
Total Wages & Salaries 43,265.45 25,768.92 17,496.53
Total Expenditures £168,799.39 £205,522.37 £ -36,722.98
NET OPERATING INCOME £ -33,456.47 £ -120,627.41 £87,170.94
Other Income
Z02 Other Gains/(Losses) -9,126.26 17,629.01 -26,755.27
Total Other Income £ -9,126.26 £17,629.01 £ -26,755.27
Other Expenditures
Reconciliation Discrepancies 0.96 -0.96
Total Other Expenditures £0.00 £0.96 £ -0.96
NET OTHER INCOME £ -9,126.26 £17,628.05 £ -26,754.31
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) £ -42,582.73 £ -102,999.36 £60,416.63

Accrual Basis Tuesday, 28 February 2023 06:19 pm GMT+00:00

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