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← The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of St Peter Hale

2025-12-31-accounts

ST PETER’S HALE

Annual Report

and

Financial Statements

of the

Parochial Church Council

For the year ended 31 December 2025

Incumbent:

The Venerable Michael Joseph Patrick McGurk St Peter’s House 233 Ashley Road Hale Altrincham Cheshire WA15 9SS

Bank:

National Westminster Bank plc 23 Stamford New Road Altrincham Cheshire WA14 1DB

Independent Examiner: Sempas Accountants Ltd

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ST PETER’S HALE CHURCH ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2025

Objectives and Activities for the Public Benefit

St Peter’s Parochial Church Council (“PCC”) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent in promoting the ecclesiastical parish and the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has maintenance responsibilities for the Church building, St Peter’s House, St Peter’s Assembly Rooms and School House. The Parish is joined for ministry in a United Benefice with St Elizabeth’s Ashley. Each parish has its own PCC and they are governed separately.

Structure, Governance and Management

The Church as a registered charity (No. 1130535 - “The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Peter’s Hale”) is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community of St Peter’s. The Church’s website (www.stpetershale.org.uk) demonstrates the extent of our commitment to being involved with the community and providing a wide range of public benefit. Further information is accessible via our Facebook page (facebook.com/stpetershale). All members of the PCC are Trustees of the Charity.

Members of the PCC are either ex-officio, elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (“APCM”) or co-opted by the PCC in accordance with the Church Representation Rules 2020. During the year the following served as members of the PCC:

Incumbent: The Venerable Michael Joseph Patrick McGurk
Churchwardens: Michael Moore
Margaret Moore
Readers: John Moss
Julie Withers
Chris Graham
Representatives
on the Deanery Synod: Julie Withers (ex officio)
Katharine Hass (Secretary)
Chris Graham (ex officio)
Christine Davison
Until 2026 Nigel Davies (Resigned September 2025)
Until 2027 Mary Graham
Elizabeth Parry (Parish Safeguarding Officer)
Elaine English
Callum Bazley
Lesley Bell

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Jill Jagger Kate Barlow

Until 2028 Laura Parry Adrienne Davies (Resigned July 2025)

The trustees are recruited from the members of the electoral roll by notices in Parish publications and via the web site. They are sponsored by other members and voted on at the APCM. All potential trustees have a working knowledge of church activities. Their legal responsibilities are explained to them when they are registered with the Charity Commissioners.

Meetings .

The PCC met 5 times in 2025 of which 1 was before and 4 after the APCM. The attendance at the meeting before the APCM was 88% and an average of 72% for the meetings after the APCM.

The APCM of St Peter’s was held on 11[th] May 2025.

The PCC operates through a number of committees which meet between full meetings of the PCC:-

Standing Committee

This is the only committee required by law and met 8 times in 2025 of which 4 were before the 2025 APCM and 4 since the APCM. It has power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the PCC.

Buildings and Facilities Committee

Church

On the church building 4 damaged ridge tiles have been replaced along with other broken tiles. The north aisle guttering has been replaced and the guttering around the church repaired. This should help reduce the amount of efflorescence on the inside walls of the church.

Thank you to the Heritage Trust for meeting the cost of this work.

The roof will need replacing within the next 10 years.

The gas boiler heating the church will become an issue in the not-too-distant future as parts become harder to replace.

Assembly Rooms

Assembly Rooms are in a good state of repair with occasional repair issues arising on a regular basis due to the age of the buildings.

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The exterior lighting has been replaced making it safer in the winter months.

Thank you to John Hawker for all the unseen jobs he manages not only at the Assembly Rooms but also around church.

St Peters House

St Peter’s House Parish office has been refurbished and during the summer months we plan to repair broken wooden window frames and paint the external woodwork.

Access to St Peter’s House continues to be a security issue, finding the right blend of public access for services and being a safe and secure building when not being used will continue to challenge us.

We are investigating changing the entrances to not only make them more secure but also to help with retention of heat in the building.

School House

No issues have been reported.

Church Grounds

The lawn behind the old vicarage will be permanently closed off from the church grounds with no cost to the Parish.

ECO Church

The ECO Church survey concentrates on five key areas of church life:

The church achieved Bronze status for its Eco work last year.

Part of achieving our Bronze status was the efficient use of heating church buildings. This is particularly challenging when all our buildings are not insulated to modern standards. The Parish has five boilers all of which are monitored and centrally controlled according to the use of a particular building or room.

As all the buildings are not heat efficient there will be times when the weather is very cold the heating will not be as warm as might be expected. Parishioners are asked to bear this in mind when coming to church and to come with a good heart and warm clothing.

Remember the less we turn on the heating the better it is for our carbon footprint.

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Further steps are being taken to insulate our buildings and rooms this will take both time and money. For example, all the rooms we hire out at the Assembly Rooms are now double glazed.

The church interior now benefits from LED up/down lights as well as new and improved LED lights in both porches and baptistry.

All the interior lights in St Peter’s House are also LED with new LED lights being installed externally around the building.

All the exterior lights around the church and the Assembly Rooms are LED.

The opportunity was taken to install secondary gazing in the two windows when the Parish Office was refurbished, we plan to extend secondary glazing to other rooms in the main building as well as exploring how the entrances can be made more heat efficient and secure.

Hopefully in spring 2026 we should see some of the bird boxes occupied.

The compost bins are working well with the compost to be used on the flower beds on Murieston Road.

The use of paper has been reduced by producing just a monthly newssheet which is circulated electronically.

Regular ‘litter picks’ take place throughout the year in the church grounds and Hale village.

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Electoral Roll

At 31[st] December 2025, there were 134 parishioners on the Church Electoral Roll, 81 resident within the Parish and 53 non-resident.

Church Attendance – 2025

During 2025, St Peter’s Hale hosted 214 services , including BCP and Common Worship Holy Communion, Choral Evensong, Taizé, contemporary services, school visits, concerts, baptisms, weddings, interments of ashes, and funerals.

A total of 8,042 people attended recorded services:

(Some individuals will be counted more than once.)

Notably, 34% (2,750 people) attended during Advent, highlighting both the opportunity and intensity of that season.

Average attendance per service:

Each regular service has seen an increase in attendance over the year.

Safeguarding

The PCC has complied with the duties under Section 5 of the Safeguarding and Discipline Measure 2016 to have regard to the House of Bishops’ guidance on the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. This duty is taken very seriously and the PCC has adopted the national Church of England safeguarding procedure and guidelines including the policies for “Safer Recruitment”.

All PCC members undertake online training based on Church of England modules which is repeated every two to three years. New members of the PCC have to undertake the training following election.

Members of the PCC have DBS certification to comply with Diocesan requirements for working with children and vulnerable adults.

A Safeguarding report is a standing item on the agenda for PCC meetings.

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There are several laminated posters around the Church premises including a photo of Liz Parry as Parish Safeguarding Officer with her contact details and those of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. Liz has undertaken all safeguarding officer training as stipulated by the Churchwardens.

The Parish is enrolled on the “Parish Dashboard Safeguarding” of Chester Diocese at Level 3 (the highest level).

Flower Guild

Flowers enhance our worship both visually and symbolically, giving joy and hope as well as solace, and reminding us of God’s wonderful world. The Guild decorates the church on a weekly basis throughout the year, with larger decorations for the festivals of Easter, Harvest, and Christmas, and for special events. It also provides daffodil posies for Mothering Sunday, marks Remembrance Sunday and provides the Advent Ring. Parishioners can donate flowers in remembrance of a loved one or to mark a special occasion. We currently have 16 members who work in 5 teams on a rota basis. However, we are very happy for new members to join us. No experience is necessary. We are very aware of our environmental responsibility and have greatly reduced our use of floral foam. We will continue to look at sustainability in our work, as encouraged by the Sustainable Church Flowers movement.

Family Church

The last 12 months have seen some fantastic changes in Family Church. We have expanded our team to include Anne Marie Mayes, Bob Bell, Felicity Relph, Laura Oliver, Rob Neal, Lisa Craig and Nicola McGurk. We have also been supported by two Duke of Edinburgh placement students – Emily Duffy and Lana.

On Sunday mornings, we have welcomed between 5 and 17 children. We have committed to running Family Church three Sundays per month, with an additional Family Church on fifth Sundays as they arise.

Each week follows a similar pattern. We begin with worship songs, share a Bible story, and then enjoy a related craft activity together. We close with a time of prayer and celebrate any birthdays that fall within that week.

We are currently continuing to try and expand the team to give us greater flexibility going forward. In addition, we will be introducing a Messy Family Church on the fourth Sunday of each month in the afternoon, beginning on 22nd March 2026.

Choir and Organ

Our small (9 voices) but loyal band of singers have continued to lead the singing at the 10.00am Sunday services, Choral Evensong on the first Sunday evening in the month and at special services at Christmas and Passiontide. We were saddened by the death of Lucy

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Nattrass in April - an accomplished musician and a longstanding member of the choir, she will be greatly missed.

We marked the Royal School of Church Music’s ‘Music Sunday’ in June with a popular Songs of Praise Service followed by a celebratory glass of Pimm’s.

We continued to mark the 60[th] Birthday of the Organ with recitals from David Langton (January) and Peter Sharp (May) both of which were well attended and raised money to help keep the organ in a good condition. In November we had a ‘Play the Organ’ day and eight people ‘had a go.’ We also participated in an RSCM initiative whereby Organists all over the world joined in playing Handel’s Largo at 2.00pm that day.

Next year, Choral Evensong is moving to the first Thursday in the month and we hope that more people will come and experience the timeless beauty of BCP evensong.

Thank you to the Choir for their hard work and commitment throughout the year. It would be good to welcome new singers to bolster our numbers. If you can sing, we would love to hear from you – even if you can only be available for occasional services.

Church Womens Fellowship (CWF)

CWF is a social organisation with about 50 members. It has been in existence since 1962 when it was founded as one of the pilot sites for the diocese. Although nominally linked to St Peter’s church we also welcome members and guests from the wider neighbourhood.

We meet once a month, pray our own prayer and then welcome a speaker, whose talk is followed by tea, coffee, biscuits and a chat. CWF has a nominated charity each year and organises coffee mornings, a strawberry tea and raffles etc. to raise funds for the charity. We have recently achieved in excess of £1,000 each year.

In addition, we have an annual service at St Peter’s dedicated to the CWF, its aims and objectives.

At every meeting we have fun as we develop friendships. Our Christmas party is always one the highlights of the year, but the group have overarching principles of worship, service, study, giving and fellowship. We are supportive of each other, but also reach out into the community. CWF has a committee which is elected at the AGM, when the accounts which have been examined are presented. These accounts are separate from St Peter’s PCC accounts.

The chair of CWF is the vicar of St Peter’s. CWF is a thriving group, always welcoming new members and guests.

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Bowdon Deanery Synod Report

The Bowdon Deanery Synod met in February, June and October in 2025.

Nadene Wright, Diocesan Racial Justice Officer, addressed the February meeting. She spoke about how to break down cultural barriers and interspersed her talk with topics to consider about culture and diversity which were discussed in smaller groups. Nadene helped Synod in the light of feedback from the groups to think about how we might try to break down cultural barriers by recognising and respecting differences in race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, cultural heritage and language.

Rev. Daud Gill from St Albans gave a report on the mission trip he had led to Silakot Diocese in the Church of Pakistan. This had gone very well and they had been given a good welcome and great hospitality. The group had preached on Sundays, led seminars on discipleship offered sessions on English language improvement and met Christian politicians. There are a lot of hardships and challenges with e.g. only 1 hospital in the whole Diocese. A monthly prayer meeting on Zoom has been set up.

The June meeting had a presentation by Rev’d Steve Rankin, the co-ordinator of Sale Myriad Hub supporting lay-led church planting in Greater Manchester. He told Synod that Church planting wasn’t new. All our Churches were originally planted as a missional response to developments in local communities. In small groups members discussed “What constitutes a church?” Responses were, amongst other points,people not the building, worship, pastoral care , prayer, teaching, mission.There was then a discussion about ideas for the future including using Zoom to form a virtual community of professionals working from home and building on “Open the Book” to form an after-school service.

Andrew Knight as Rural Dean informed members about the new initiative and identity for Safeguarding in the Diocese. The response to safeguarding needed to move from reactive to proactive and is the responsibility of all church members. He advised that there were a lot of new resources and more details on the diocesan website.

Sam Wilson reported on discussions and decisions from the General Synod February 2025 meeting. These included safeguarding accountability and appointments/ lack of appointments to various vacant bishoprics. Sam had spoken at Synod about National Youth Gathering and encouraging young voices.

Rev’ds Jenny Bridgman and Simon Chesters together with Karen MacMillan from the central ministry team talked to the October meeting about the work and set up of the Diocesan Ministry Team in networking resourcing, training, discerning and support in all areas of ministry. Vocation and being in the service of God was considered in its broadest sense. Members then split into groups from different parishes to share their own faith journeys. They considered who had supported them and encouraged them along the way. The importance of prayer for the raising up of leaders was discussed and how we supported people in our parishes discerning vocation to various church roles.

The Deanery social quiz held in September had been supported by only 4 members of Synod which was disappointing given that initial enthusiasm for the idea had been high although it was noted that some parishes had had conflicting events on the same day. Those who had

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attended had heard from Rev’d Shaphan Sabir from Silakot Cathedral in Pakistan which had been thought provoking.

Members were advised that there would be a workshop on 19[th] October at St Ann’s Sale on the Church of England and the Slavery Reparation Fund

Following the recent attack on the Heaton Park Synagogue the Diocese assured Synod that there were currently no concerns around other religious groups but we should all pay attention to security around church buildings and events.

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Vicar’s Report

Having joined St Peter’s in November 2024, it has been a real privilege to journey with you through my first full year as your Vicar. I continue to be encouraged by the faithfulness, generosity, and deep commitment of the people of God in this place. St Peter’s is a wellestablished church with a strong history, and that legacy is something to be thankful for and to build upon—not something to be taken for granted.

Throughout the past year, I have seen a church that values worship, community, and welcome. Our Sunday services remain at the heart of our life together, and the way in which families, visitors, and newcomers are received speaks volumes about the love of Christ among us. This is a powerful witness, not only within the parish but beyond it.

At the same time, we are honest that church life is not straightforward. There are no quick fixes to the challenges we face, and there is certainly no “one-size-fits-all” plan or programme that will magically solve concerns about ageing congregations, declining numbers, or financial pressures—often all three at once.

And yet, there is still hope.

Firstly, we serve a loving God who treasures his Church and who clearly has plans for it, even when those plans are not the same as our own. Our confidence does not rest in strategies alone, but in God’s faithfulness.

Secondly, while there are no shortcuts, there are faithful and practical steps we can take that make it more likely that change will come, as we listen to God and respond together.

It is natural in an established church to say, “We used to do it like this,” or, “This is what we have always done.” There is much that we do well, and we should rightly celebrate that. However the deeper question must always be: does what we do help us grow as disciples, deepen our relationship with Jesus, and enable us to share the hope of the gospel? If it does, we should continue with confidence. If it does not, we must be willing to reflect, adapt, and sometimes change—always guided by prayer and our parish purpose of “Loving God, living faith, serving all.”

One of the highlights of the year has been the scale of engagement with people from our parish and beyond, particularly during Advent, when nearly 2,750 people came through our doors across carol services, Christingle, concerts, school visits, and regular worship. This tells us something important: people are willing to come, to encounter the church, and to hear the message of Immanuel— “God with us.”

The challenge before us is how we nurture those encounters into lasting faith and belonging.

One way we have sought to do this has been through our Bible study courses led by Bob Bell, Barbara Brighton, and Chris Graham, as well as beginning a new Start Course this past year. Thank you to the leaders, helpers, and those who attended.

None of this happens without the extraordinary commitment of volunteers. I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone who gives their time, talents, and energy to the life of St Peter’s.

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In particular, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Margaret and Michael Moore , who will be stepping down from their roles as Churchwardens. Their dedication, faithfulness, and commitment to St Peter’s over many years have been an extraordinary gift to this church. Through times of challenge and change, they have served with generosity, wisdom, and deep love for this congregation. Quite simply, we would not be where we are today without their tireless work and steady leadership. We are profoundly grateful for all that they have offered and for the legacy they leave as they step into the next season of their lives.

I also thank our Deputy Wardens; our organist and choir; vergers, servers, readers, intercessors; the Flower Guild; Chimers; Family Church leaders; sidespeople; the welcoming and hospitality teams; Mission in Action; Church Women’s Fellowship; St Peter’s Toddlers; and the Good as New team.

I would also like to acknowledge the fantastic work that Lesley Bell continues to do with the asylum seekers in the Ashley Hotel, and the encouraging fruit we have seen from that ministry this year. May we never take this for granted and always remain mindful of the needs of others.

My thanks also go to PCC members, those serving at deanery and diocesan level, those involved in Churches Together in Hale, and to Alex Masters in the office for his invaluable administrative support. This church exists as it does because people step forward to serve— and for that, we give thanks to God. If I have missed anyone, please let me know and I will thank them personally.

However, gratitude must never lead to complacency. While we are heading in the right direction, there are still many people who once attended church but no longer do, and many within our parish who do not know Jesus, the hope of forgiveness and new life, or have any connection with church at all. That remains both our calling and our opportunity.

As many of you know, the Feeding of the Five Thousand is an image that is very important to me, both for the church and for each of us personally. Each of us has our own five loaves and two fish. The question is not whether they are enough, but whether we are willing to place them in the hands of Christ. Every one of us has something to offer: time, talents, and treasure.

Financial giving remains crucial. If you have not considered Gift Aid, please do. If you give but have given the same amount for many years, perhaps consider increasing your giving in line with inflation. This year we contributed only 65% of our parish share , and we need to work together to improve this so that we can meet our obligations within the diocese. That said, service and generosity extend far beyond money alone.

At the APCM in 2025, I asked a simple but profound question: What are we praying for when we ask God for the “immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20)?

The responses were clear. People longed to see:

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If this is what we are praying for, then we all have a part to play—first and foremost through prayer. Prayer cards were produced to help keep these priorities before us. Are they somewhere visible in your home? If not, perhaps start afresh today.

Alongside prayer, we need more people to use their gifts of time, talents, and treasure so that this vision can become reality. Each of us might ask: What gifts has God given me that could help fulfil one of these hopes? And just as importantly: Who can I encourage, support, or help raise up to serve?

We continue to struggle to find new leaders and volunteers. Are you on the electoral roll? What do you do in your day job that might be of use to the church? Please talk to us—we would love to hear from you.

Vision Priorities for 2026

Following prayer and consultation with the PCC, I believe God is calling St Peter’s to move forward with clarity, confidence, and hope.

  1. Deepening Discipleship Growing in faith, prayer, and confidence as followers of Jesus.

  2. Strengthening Welcome and Belonging Helping people move from attending to belonging, and from belonging to serving.

  3. Investing in Children, Young People, and Families Prioritising ministry that nurtures faith across generations.

  4. Growing Shared Leadership and Volunteering Raising up new leaders and encouraging joyful, sustainable service.

  5. Financial Stability and Generous Stewardship Working prayerfully towards meeting our parish share and securing our future.

  6. Mission Beyond Our Walls

Deepening engagement with our local community and Churches Together in Hale.

It is proposed that our Purpose Statement should be: “Loving God, living faith, serving all.”

This reflects who we are called to be and shapes everything we do.

With thanksgiving for all that has been, and trust in God for all that is yet to come, we look ahead with a new hope for 2026. May we be a church rooted in Christ, open to the Spirit, faithful in prayer, and courageous in sharing the hope we have received.

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Financial Review

The income to support the Church in its pastoral care and ecumenical mission is the sum of giving by parishioners, both planned and unplanned, together with any surplus generated from the letting of its facilities for local community activities. In the year to December 2025, there was a surplus from all activities of £18,270 (2024: £29,919).

Income, other than the Trust contributions, remains at a similar level to 2024.

Income from planned and unplanned giving, including collections and tax rebates, maintained a similar level to 2024 levels at £98,041 (2024: £96,867). Average planned giving per person increased by 4% although the number contributing fell due to the loss of 6 members. Contributions were received from 105 members in the year, a fall of 6%. Other donations, including Gift Aid, amounted to £12,001 (2024: £17,367).

As in previous years, generous contributions from the Heritage and Centenary Trusts, together amounting to £15,009 (2024: £60,184), allowed the Church to continue to fulfil its activities and carry out repairs on all church buildings. Repair costs across all sites are lower reflected in the reduced Trust contributions.

Hire income at the Assembly Rooms is at a similar level to 2024 whilst there has been a fall at Peter House due to the loss of regular users. At the Assembly Rooms the surplus was £23,166 (2024: £15,366) due to lower repair costs and at Peter House a deficit of £4,766 (2024: £5,048 surplus) due to the fall income and an increase in costs.

School House has been occupied throughout 2025 resulting in an increase in rental income £18,662 (2024: £15,128).

Expenditure within unrestricted funds decreased by 18% to £143,903 (2024: £175,677), excluding Assembly Rooms and Peter House costs, principally due to the lower church and School House repair costs. In 2025 the Parish has been able to pay the Diocese 65% of the Parish Share, increased from 50% in the previous 2 years.

After allowing for the Mission in Action Grant unrestricted income exceeded expenditure by £23,671 (2024: £43,755 deficit).

Within restricted funds, expenditure on charitable activities totalled £1,700. Taking depreciation into account expenditure exceeded income by £5,401 (2024: £13,836).

As well as increasing the Parish share payment the surplus has allowed the Church to re-build some longer-term saving reserves. This surplus has left the Church in a significantly stronger financial position going forwards albeit this has only been achieved with the support of Trust contributions. The PCC has approved a small deficit budget for 2026 based on similar levels of activity and expenditure as 2025. It continues to recognise the need to reach out to a new generation of planned givers to reverse the decline in contributors indicated above.

Reserves Policy and Going Concern

The unrestricted funds at the year-end were £180,006 (2024: £156,335) which the PCC considers adequate to cover future costs and emergency expenditure. In making this

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judgement, the Trustees have considered the current and predicted future levels of income and they believe it is reasonable, together with the continued control of costs, to assume the Church remains a going concern. (See Note 1.1)

Risk Management

The principal risk is that the number of members and the funds raised through the stewardship scheme declines to an extent that the church fails to raise enough funds to support itself. The decline in contributors and income over a number of years continues to be a key focus with new younger members encouraged to join the stewardship scheme. Increasing other income sources, particularly hire income, is also a major centre of attention. Expenditure continues to be controlled.

……………………………

Venerable Michael McGurk

PCC Chair

Dated: 3rd March 2026

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Statement of financial activities

Total Prior
Unrestricted Unrestricted
Restricted		 funds year
funds income funds
funds
Incoming resources (Note 3) £ £ £ £
Income and endowments
from:
Donations and legacies 125,051 - -
125,051		 174,418
Charitable activities 3,650 260 3,910 7,469
Other trading activities 80,130 - -
80,130		 81,926
Investments 4,187 8 4,195 4,463
Total 213,018 268 213,286 268,276
Resources expended (Note 4)
Expenditure on:
Raising funds* 184,897 5,969 190,866 222,513
Mission Fund charitable - -
1,700		 1,700 11,104
activities
Other 2,450 - -
2,450		 4,740
Total 187,347 7,669 195,016 238,357
Net income/(expenditure)
before investment gains/(losses) 25,671 (7,401) 18,270 29,918
Net income/(expenditure) 25,671 (7,401) 18,270 29,918
Transfers between funds (2,000) 2,000 - -
Net movement in funds 23,671 (5,401) 18,270 29,918
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 156,335 170,431 326,766 296,847
Total funds carried forward 180,006 165,030 345,036 326,766
  • Restricted Funds include £5,603 (2024: £5,603) expenditure from the permanent endowment fund (note 11)

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535

Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Balance Sheet

Balance Sheet
Unrestricted Unrestricted
Restricted		 Restricted
Current
Prior		 Prior
funds funds year
year		 year
£ £ £
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets (Note 7) - - -
161,084		 161,084
166		 166,687
Total fixed assets - - -
161,084		 161,084
166		 166,687
Current assets
Debtors (Note 8) 7,094 7,094 7,094
2,414		 2,414 9,508
11,378		 11,378
Cash at bank and in hand (Note 10) 195,158 2,380 2,380 197,538
171,531		 171,531
Total current assets 202,252 4,794 4,794 207,046
182,909		 182,909
Creditors
Amounts falling due within 1 year Amounts falling due within 1 year
(Note 9) (22,246) (848) (848)
(23,094)
(22,830)		 (22,830)
Net current assets/(liabilities) 180,006 3,946 3,946 183,952
160,079		 160,079
Total net assets 180,006 165,030 345,036
326,766		 326,766
Funds of the Charity
Restricted income funds (Note 11) - - -
165,030		 165,030
170,431		 170,431
Unrestricted funds 180,006 - 180,006
156,335		 156,335
Total funds 180,006 165,030 345,036
326,766		 326,766

Signed on behalf of all the Trustees

Date of Approval: 3 March 2026

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535

Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Notes to the Accounts

1 Basis of preparation and going concern

1.1 Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 as amended by the Charities Act 2022, Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, Statement of Recommended Practice on Accounting and Reporting by Charities SORP (FRS 102) and applicable accounting standards. The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity. The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The charity operates as a going concern because it has sufficient funds and reserves to pay all its liabilities as they fall due.

2 Accounting policies

2.1 Income

Recognition of income

Income is included in the SOFA when the charity becomes entitled to the resources and it is more likely that, than not that the trustees will receive the resources and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Offsetting

There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses, unless required or permitted by the FRS SORP.

Grants and donations.

Grants and donations are only included in the SOFA when the general income recognition criteria are met.

Legacies

Legacies are included in the SOFA when receipt is probable, that is, when there has been grant of probate, the executors have established that there are sufficient assets in the estate and any conditions attached to the legacy are either within the control of the charity or have been met.

Tax reclaims on donations and gifts

Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor. Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of that gift and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor or the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise.

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Contractual income

Contractual income is only included once the charity has provided the related service.

Volunteer help

The value of volunteer help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees’ annual report.

Income from interest, royalties and dividends

This is included in the accounts when receipt is probable and the amount receivable can be measured reliably.

Settlement of insurance claims

Insurance claims are only included in the SOFA when the general recognition criteria are met.

2.2 Expenditure and liabilities

Liability recognition

Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.

Deferred income

Deferred income is only recognised where payment has been received in advance.

Creditors

The charity has creditors that are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts.

Provision for liabilities

A liability is measured on recognition at its historical cost and then subsequently measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date.

Basic financial instruments

The charity accounts for basic financial instruments on initial recognition as per paragraph 11.7 FRS102 SORP. Subsequent measurement is as per paragraph 11.17 to 11.19 FRS102 SORP.

2.3 Assets

Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £4,000. They are valued at cost. The depreciation rates and methods used are:

Freehold buildings: 2% straight line Fixtures, fittings and equipment 20% straight line

Freehold building consist of the parish offices, Peter House, Ashley Road, Hale.

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535

Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Notes to the accounts

Note 3 Analysis of income Note 3 Analysis of income Unrestricted Restricted Current Prior
funds funds year year
£ £ £ £
Donations Gift aid giving 57,189 - 57,189 59,335
and legacies Income tax reclaimed 15,138 - 15,138 14,814
Non Gift aid giving 5,767 - 5,767 5,934
Collections 17,133 - 17,133 15,576
Income tax reclaimed 2,814 - 2,814 1,208
Donation from Trusts 15,009 - 15,009 60,184
Other Donations 10,232 - 10,232 14,886
Other Gift Aid 700 - 700 1,481
Legacies 1,069 - 1,069 1,000
Total 125,051 - 125,051 174,418
Charitable
activities: Mission in Action - - - 1,319
Choir Fund - - - 251
Flower Guild - 260 260 171
Fees 3,650 - 3,650 5,728
Total 3,650 260 3,910 7,469
Other Church Lettings 480 - 480 1,391
Trading Assembly Rooms
activities: Lettings 51,230 - 51,230 51,017
School House Letting 18,662 - 18,662 15,128
St Peter House Lettings 9,758 - 9,758 14,390
Total 80,130 - 80,130 81,926
Investment Interest income 4,187 8 4,195 4,463
income: Dividend income - - - -
Total 4,187 8 4,195 4,463
GRAND TOTAL 213,018 268 213,286 268,276

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Note 4 Analysis of expenditure Note 4 Analysis of expenditure Unrestricted Restricted Total Prior
funds funds funds year
£ £ £ £
Expenditure on Parish Share 61,300 - 61,300 45,781
raising funds Clergy Expenses (501) - (501) 6,461
Church costs (including
heat light & insurance) 19,131 - 19,131 21,518
Church Repairs 10,531 - 10,531 35,525
Upkeep of Grounds 6,105 - 6,105 7,523
Wages & Salaries 27,422 - 27,422 27,031
Assembly rooms costs
(including staff) 28,063 - 28,063 35,651
St Peters House Costs 14,524 - 14,524 9,342
Educational expenses 220 - 220 130
Administration Expenses 16,817 - 16,817 17,932
School House repairs 428 - 428 9,036
Vicarage repairs - - - -
Depreciation - 5,603 5,603 5,603
Flower Guild - 366 366 464
Choir 857 - 857 516
TOTAL 184,897 5,969 190,866 222,513
Expenditure on Mission in Action
restricted funds Overseas Charities - 1,700 1,700 5,726
Charitable Home Charities - - - 5,296
activity Other - - - 82
Total expenditure on
charitable activities charitable activities - 1,700 1,700 11,104
Other Governance - independent
examiner fees 2,450 - 2,450 4,740
Total other
expenditure 2,450 - 2,450 4,740
TOTAL
EXPENDITURE 187,347 7,669 195,016 238,357

Note 5 Details of certain items of expenditure

Independent examiner’s fees

Current
year Prior year
£ £
2,450 4,740

Sempas Accountants Ltd were appointed in October 2025 to act as Independent Examiners.

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Note 6 Paid Employees
6.1 Staff Costs Current year Prior year
£ £
Salaries and wages (including assembly rooms) 26,805 26,409
Pension costs (defined contribution scheme) 617 622
Total staff costs 27,422 27,031

No employees received employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) for the reporting period of more than £60,000

6.2 Average head count in the year 6.2 Average head count in the year Current year Current year Current year
Prior year		 Current year
Prior year
Number Number Number
All employees worked on charitable activities 1 1
1		 1
Total 1 1
1		 1
Note 7 Tangible Fixed Assets
Freehold Other Plant, Fixtures, Total
land & land & machinery fittings
buildings buildings and motor and
vehicles vehicles
equipment
7.1 Cost or valuation £ £ £ £ £
At the beginning of the
year 290,332 - - 18,706 309,038
At end of the year 290,332 - -
- 18,706		 - 18,706 - 18,706
309,038		 309,038
7.2 Depreciation
At beginning of the year 123,645 - -
- 18,706		 - 18,706 - 18,706
142,351		 142,351
Disposals - - - - - -
- - -		 - - - - - - - - -
Depreciation 5,603 - -
- - 5,603		 - - 5,603 - - 5,603 - - 5,603
At end of the year 129,248 - -
-		 - 18,706
147,954		 147,954
7.3 Net book value
Net book value at the
beginning of the year 166,687 - -
-		 - - 166,687
Net book value at the
end of the year 161,084 - -
-		 - - 161,084

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Note 8 Debtors and prepayments

Analysis of debtors Unrestricted
funds		 Restricted
funds		 Current
year		 Prior
year
£ £ £ £
Trade debtors 4,668 - 4,668 3,771
Prepayments and accrued income - - - -
Other debtors 2,426 2,414 4,840 7,607
Total 7,094 2,414 9,508 11,378

Note 9 Creditors

9.1 Analysis of creditors Amounts falling due within one year Amounts falling due within one year Amounts falling due within one year Amounts falling due within one year
Unrestricted Restricted Current Prior year
funds funds year
£ £ £ £
Trade creditors 2,834 - 2,834 2,834
2,714
Accruals and deferred income 15,274 848 16,122 848 16,122 16,542
Taxation and social security 968 - 968 404
Other creditors 3,170 -3,170 3,170 3,170
3,170
Total 22,246 848 23 848 23,094 22,830

Trade creditors includes amounts of £2,414 due from unrestricted to restricted funds.

9.2 Deferred income

Deferred income consists of receipts and rents received in advance in respect of 2026 of £4,434 and is included in the figure of £15,274 above.

Current year Prior year
Movement in deferred income account £ £
Balance at the start of the reporting period 1,104 1,204
Amounts added in current period 4,434 1,104
Amounts released to income from previous periods (1,104) (1,204)
Balance at the end of the reporting period 4,434 1,104

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535

Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Note 10 Cash at bank and in hand Current year Prior year
Short term cash investments (less than 3 months maturity £ £
date)
Short term deposits 183,520 157,832
Cash at bank and on hand 14,018 13,699
Total 197,538 171,531

Note 11 Charity funds

11.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the current reporting period

period
Brought Carried
Fund names Type forward Income Expenditure Transfers forward
£ £ £ £ £
Choir Restricted 78 - - - -
78
Flower Guild Restricted 752 260 (366) - -
646
Mission Restricted 2,229 - (1,700) 2,000 2,529
Garden of
Remembrance		 Restricted 685 8 - -
-		 -
693
Peter House Permanent
Endowment		 166,687 - -
(5,603)		 - -
161,084
General Fund Unrestricted 156,335 213,018 (187,347) (2,000) 180,006
Total Funds 326,766 213,286 (195,016) - -
345,036

11.2 Transfers between funds

The transfer from unrestricted to the restricted Mission Fund represents the annual tithe donation from the General Fund.

Note 12 Transactions with Trustees and related parties

12.1 Trustee remuneration benefits

None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with the charity or a related charity, with the exception of cover provided for the Duty Manager role at the Assembly Rooms. In 2025 the amount paid for this was £190.

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

12.2 Trustees’ expenses

Trustees are reimbursed for any items of expense they incur directly from suppliers on behalf of the Church in the running and maintenance of its facilities. All expenses are approved by an independent member of the Standing Committee. In 2025 this amounted to £1,786.

12.3 Transactions with related parties

There have been no transactions with related parties in the current year.

Note 13 Linked charities

Certain members of the PCC are trustees of two other registered charities:

Hale St Peter Centenary Trust whose purpose is to raise funds to create and maintain an endowment fund to further the religious and other charitable work of the Church of England and in particular, the Parish of Hale St Peter. Total reserves as at 31 December 2025 were £555,714 (31 December 2024: £553,858)

St Peter’s Heritage Trust whose purpose is to help meet the cost of structural repairs to the church buildings in the Parish of Hale St Peter. Total reserves as at 31 December 2025 were £178,473 (31 December 2024: £158,135)

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Statement of the PCC's responsibilities

Law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the PCC to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity's financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view, the PCC are required to:

The PCC as trustees are required to act in accordance with the trust deed of the charity, within the framework of trust law. They are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, sufficient to disclose at any time, with reasonable accuracy, the financial position of the charity at that time, and to enable the trustees to ensure that, where any statements of accounts are prepared by them under section 132(1) of the Charities Act 2011, as amended by the Charities Act 2022, those statements of accounts comply with the requirements of regulations under that provision. They have general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the charity and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.

Signed on behalf of the PCC of St Peter’s, Hale

Venerable Michael McGurk

3 March 2026

Chair

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF HALE ST PETER Charity no. 1130535 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of the Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Peter’s Hale.

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Parochial Church Council of Hale St Peter for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 16 to 26.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’), as amended by the Charities Act 2022.

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity 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 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving 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.

S Suchoparek Sempas Accountants Ltd 3 March 2026

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