2025-12-31-accounts - The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of St Mary's Kings Worthy

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St Mary's, Kings Worthy Annual Report 2025 St MARY'S KINGS WORTHY

Rector’s Report

Revd Paul Bradish, Rector

“For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.” 1 Corinthians 3:9–10

It is with thankfulness that I present this annual report for the year 2025. Last year marked my tenth year with you, and I have loved being your Rector. I often find myself popping into St Mary’s at different times of the week, standing at the back of the nave as sunshine streams through the east window or through the windows of the side chapel. I am always struck by the immense privilege it is to serve the community of St Mary’s and the village of Kings Worthy.

The words of St Paul to the Corinthians have increasingly been on my heart and mind as I have reflected on the years we have worked together and on all that we have accomplished. Whilst we occupy a historic building of flint and mortar, our true work is in the hearts and lives of men and women, boys and girls who worship with us or encounter the love of Jesus Christ through our services and events. These are the things that will last forever.

This report reflects on our shared life in 2025 — our worship, governance, mission, and the faithfulness of God among us.

This past year has been defined by resilience and perseverance; doing the steady things of parish ministry well, faithfully and prayerfully. In a world that feels increasingly fragmented, our parish remains a beacon of stability and a place of peace. Yet, as we all know, the church is not merely a collection of stones; it is a “living temple” built of people. This report is, above all, a testament to your faithfulness as the living stones of St Mary’s.

Faithfulness is expressed not only in worship, but also in how we steward responsibly — and this was tested most clearly this year through the diocesan visitation.

The Diocesan Visitation

One of the most significant and perhaps most daunting milestones of 2025 was the formal visitation undertaken on behalf of the Archdeacon and the diocese. Under canon law, all parish churches are inspected approximately every five years. These visitations ensure compliance with church legislation, national regulations, and best practice.

This is the moment when we demonstrate that we have what we say we have, that we do the things required of us, and that our records and registers are kept accurately. In a society that rightly places a high value on safeguarding practice and process, this has become an especially significant part of the visitation. It also covers many mundane but essential matters; whether we maintain a register of key holders, ensure staff have the right to work in the UK, and hold appropriate building evacuation plans. The process is thorough and demanding, as you would expect.

St Mary’s was chosen as one of the first churches in the diocese to be visited again after a long period of absence. Formal visitations ceased during Covid, and this year marked the diocese’s attempt to re establish standards of good governance, safeguarding, financial oversight, and administration.

I am delighted to report that we came through this experience with flying colours. Feedback from the Archdeacon and the visiting team was that St Mary’s set a very high bar, both in what we do and in how we do it.

This success did not happen by accident. It was the result of months of meticulous preparation and hard work across all the areas inspected. We developed a comprehensive, linked spreadsheet populated with key data — from safeguarding certificates to fire appliance maintenance logs — which could be viewed by the Area Dean ahead of time. This transparency allowed for a clear overview of parish health and enabled a focused and constructive visit.

Following the visitation, we shared our spreadsheet template with colleagues across the deanery to support other parishes preparing for their own inspections. It has been warmly received and is already being used elsewhere.

I wish to highlight the extraordinary work of the team who made this possible: our churchwardens, Joanne Meharg and Sheila Wooding; our treasurer, Catherine Saunders, whose financial precision ensured our accounts were in excellent order; and Karen Briggs, whose technical skill in designing and presenting the spreadsheet made a significant difference.

We celebrate this achievement with gratitude, mindful that good governance is not an endpoint but an ongoing discipline of faithfulness. We can also be confident that we are w ell prepared for the next visitation, likely to take place after 2030.

Worship and Faithfulness

The beating heart of St Mary’s remains our gathered worship. We enjoy a wide variety of styles and approaches — from traditional communions to relaxed all age services — and we give time and care to ensure that we offer our very best in worship.

Faithfulness in Attendance

In an age when “the busyness of life” is often cited as a reason for absence, I have been deeply encouraged by your commitment. Average weekly attendance has remained steady at between 65 and 75. Sometimes there is no clear reason why numbers rise or fall, a phenomenon I explore further in the Children and Youth Hub report, but we have also welcomed new people into our regular worshipping community. Your faithfulness is not merely a statistic; it is an expression of what truly matters in a secular age.

Music Ministry

Under Debbie Emmott-Dart’s direction, we continue to enjoy a rich variety of musical styles, supported by a wide range of instruments and voices. We are blessed with musicians who offer their gifts so generously, and what we share together would be the envy of many parish churches. The introduction of a pop-up choir at Christmas and special services throughout the year has been a particular joy.

Our Hubs: Functional Leadership

Our functional hubs enable the work of the Gospel to be shared across the gifts of the congregation, ensuring that leadership is collaborative and that the Rector acts as a facilitator of the whole ministry.

Eco and Environmental Hub

Against the backdrop of a global climate crisis, the Eco and Environmental Hub has helped us make significant progress, culminating in the award of Silver Eco Church. From caring for the churchyard as a place of biodiversity, to auditing energy use, exploring solar options, and offering monthly environmental tips, this hub reminds us that stewardship begins with the earth beneath our feet. I am grateful to Andy Blaxland and the team for their dedication.

Physical Resources

Maintaining a Grade II* listed building is no small task. Under Julie Young’s leadership, this hub works faithfully behind the scenes, addressing security systems, fire safety, stonework, and the many practical issues that keep our buildings safe and usable. Their work is a gift to both present and future generations.

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Silver Eco Church Award
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Mission and Ministry

This hub keeps our focus firmly on giving Jesus the highest honour in worship, preaching, and praise. Further detail on its work and our shared discipleship can be found in my separate report.

Blessing Others (Charitable Giving)

Despite the rising cost of living, 7% of parish income has been given away through the Blessing Others Hub. Support for food banks, Street Pastors, Home Start, and other causes ensures that our generosity reaches both our local community and the wider world. My thanks go to Geraldine Brown and her prayerful and discerning team.

Pastoral and Engagement

Led by Helen Bradish, Marion Golding, and Jill Mapes, this hub oversees our welcome ministry and helps ensure that everyone can find a genuine home within the life of St Mary’s. Working confidentially, they help identify needs and discern how best to respond. Small groups remain central to our pastoral life, and this work is vital to our sense of belonging.

Children, Youth and Families

This has been a more challenging year for our Children, Youth and Families Hub. Joanne Meharg and I have overseen a number of changes, detailed elsewhere in this report. Please continue to pray for our children, young people, and those who lead and support them. In the world we inhabit, this remains one of the most important investments we can make.

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Men@Meals
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Small Groups and Home Groups

While the hubs manage the functions of parish life, our small groups and home groups provide much of our fellowship and pastoral care.

I want to express particular thanks to all group leaders. In your living rooms — over Scripture, prayer, cake, and many cups of tea or coffee — the real work of being the church takes place. You are often the first to notice need and to offer care, both within your groups and across the parish.

I also wish to acknowledge the ministry Dave Dale has developed among men within the church and beyond. Men@Meals has become a well established monthly gathering, and the Men’s Bible Study Group at the Worthies Sports and Social Club has provided a welcoming space to explore male characters from Scripture together.

Looking Ahead

There is much to give thanks for and much to look forward to. We hope the Cherish Building Project will move closer to being realised during 2026 and into 2027. The congregation was briefed on 30 March, and we will continue to receive feedback as we prepare formal faculty applications later this year.

In the coming year, I ask you to support this work through prayer, thoughtful engagement, and continued generosity.

Please keep the goal in view: a church building that is fit for purpose, welcoming to all, safe and accessible, and a true reflection of the expansive and flexible love of God. We are not curators of a museum; we are stewards of a living mission that comes through His church — its people and its buildings.

A Final Word of Thanks

To the churchwardens, ministry team, PCC, hub leaders, small group leaders, and to every person who has given a gift of time, talent, or money - thank you. St Mary’s, Kings Worthy, is a special worshipping community because of you. You have shown that faithfulness is not about standing still, but about moving forward together in the light of Christ.

A Closing Prayer

I invite you to make the following prayer your own.

Lord Jesus,

we thank you for the growth you have nurtured within us, for every heart turned toward you and every hand lifted in service. We thank you for the foundation laid by those who came before us, and for the vision you have placed in our hearts for the future. Grant us a deeper commitment to your Word and to one another. Make us attentive to the work and promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we look toward the changing face of our building, may our hearts remain fixed on the unchanging beauty of your love. Strengthen our hands for the work ahead,

soften our hearts toward the stranger at our door,

and may St Mary’s always be a place where your name is known, your people are fed, and your Kingdom is visible. Amen.

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Community Carol Singing
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Parochial Church Council

Jaqualyn Moore, PCC Secretary

The Parochial Church Council (PCC), the main decision-making body in the parish, has seen a few changes of the last 12 months. Firstly, as Sheila Wooding moved to the role of churchwarden, alongside Joanne Meharg, I was elected to take on the PCC Secretary role. It is certainly an interesting one(!) and has afforded me the opportunity to get to know the ‘behind the scenes’ working of St Mary’s.

St Mary’s PCC currently comprises twelve members. Some of these are ex-officio members, while others are elected to serve for a three-year term (see further information, below). All are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) by adult members of the parish and those on the church’s electoral roll.

A Parochial Church Council (PCC) is the primary governing body of an Anglican parish church in England, responsible for its financial, legal, and operational management, along with promoting the mission of God within the local community. PCC members act as charity trustees, overseeing building maintenance, pastoral work, and evangelism, while acting as the official employer for staff. At St Mary’s we are blessed with members who have a wealth of experience and wisdom, which they bring generously to their PCC role. In addition, our PCC works with the leads of the various hubs and others to ensure that all aspects of St Mary’s mission and ministry have clear objectives, leadership, oversight, and encouragement.

During 2025/26, the following served as members of the PCC of St Mary’s, Kings Worthy:

Ex-officio

Rector (Chairperson of the PCC) Revd Paul Bradish Churchwardens Joanne Meharg, Sheila Wooding Revd Jemima Lewis Permission to Officiate (until January 2026) Licensed Lay Worker Matthew Briggs Diocesan Synod Rep Carol Dale Treasurer Catherine Saunders

The current elected members of this PCC as of the end of 2024/25 are as follows:

Stephen Golding, Julie Young, Andy Blaxland, Debbie Emmott-Dart, Paul Young, Jaqualyn Moore, Secretary & Deanery Synod Rep.

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PCC 2025
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The PCC meet on a Monday evening from 7.30 – 9.30pm and has met on 11 occasions since the last APCM. This included an off-site, half-day meeting. Average attendance at meetings was 88% (range 75% - 100%). Individual attendance was 80% (range 60% - 100%) and was largely affected by illness, family commitments and holidays.

Standing Committee

A Standing Committee (SC) is required by law and is empowered to carry out the function of the PCC between its timetabled meetings, subject to an expenditure limit of £1000 per item. The SC must include the incumbent, churchwardens, key officers and three elected members. For 2025/26, the SC of the PCC comprised Revd Paul Bradish (Chair), Joanne Meharg, Sheila Wooding, Catherine Saunders, Jaqualyn Moore, Stephen Golding, Andy Blaxland and Julie Young. During this period, the SC met on just one occasion. This was a virtual meeting.

Overall, this has been a positive year for the PCC as it has sought to serve the St Mary’s congregation and wider parish through its prayerful consideration of a variety of issues.

Safeguarding

Lis Mayell Parish Safeguarding Officer, Sally Johnson DBS Administrator

The clergy and PCC continue to meet the requirements to have due regard to guidance issued by the House of Bishops on matters relating to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. Safeguarding continues to be a standing item on every agenda of the PCC meeting.

The safeguarding team consists of:

Revd Paul Bradish, Lis Mayell, (parish safeguarding officer), Sally Johnson (DBS administrator) and Karen Briggs (admin support). The team meets twice a month, once with Revd Paul to discuss safeguarding matters and once a month for admin purposes. A safeguarding action report is sent to the PCC twice a year for approval/ review.

review.	review.
All volunteers in our church must do some degree of safeguarding training,
depending on the level of their role, and many	need a DBS check.
DBS applicatons for new volunteers DBS renewal applicatons	2 11
Safeguarding training completed
Basic Awareness	17
Foundatons Raising Awareness of Domestc Abuse	6 18
Leadership training completed	11
Safer Recruitment & Management	1

Thank you to everyone for your willingness to go through this process, your cooperation is much appreciated.

Please remember that its everyone's responsibility to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Electoral Roll

Dave Dale, Electoral Roll Officer

The Electoral Roll for the Parish of St Mary’s Church, Kings Worthy 2026 has been updated, with a closing date of April 12th.

The results are as follows: Electoral Roll as at 13th April 2025: 103 Electoral Roll as at 12th April 2026: 108

The above figures reflect:

The addition of 7 new members.

The removal of 2 previous member who passed away. A full list of members can be seen at the church office.

Treasurer’s Financial Summary Catherine Saunders, Treasurer

For detailed analysis of the 2025 accounts, please see the financial statement which is incorporated into this account by reference and is available separately as a printed document on request from the church office.

Donation receipts on unrestricted funds came to £96,483 of which £78,561 was unrestricted voluntary donations and a further £17,922 from Gift Aid tax recovered. Restricted donations of £4,800 were also received and detailed in the financial statement.

Unrestricted income from Charitable and Trading Activities - hire of the church rooms, chapel, wedding and funeral fees, fundraising initiatives and a surplus on parish magazine sales and advertising revenue raised £27,152.

Verger’s Cottage valued at £475,000 in October 2022. Rent received totalled £11,791.

£6223 interest retained in the CBF Church of England deposit account, which is a significant decrease from 2024 (£10,053).

The valuation of the four endowment policies decreased by £1291.

£137,175 was spent from the unrestricted funds to provide church ministry costs, salaries, charitable activities, maintenance of St Mary’s church and chapel, and to pay the Common Mission Fund (Parish Share) of £69,598. The CMF provides central Diocesan costs of supporting parish life including stipend, housing, insurance, pension and training.

£4250 was distributed by the Blessing Others Hub to local charities.

A sum of £455 was received in the form of a ‘Quick Wins Grant’ from the diocese, which was to be spent on the heating system at the Chapel.

£10,226 was donated during the Give to Go Green campaign to raise money for solar panels for the Chapel. A further £10,000 grant from the Church of England was given in match funding for the project. The solar panels are expected to be installed in 2026.

£11,855 was received from the estate of the late Alan Peers to be used by St Mary’s at the discretion of the PCC.

to provision of facilities for youth and children. This was agreed and that the PCC would make arrangements to bolster the original fund by repaying £6,000 each year, for 6 years. £26,000 was withdrawn in 2024. In 2025, the remaining £10,000 was withdrawn. Later in the year the first repayment of £6,000 was made.

In summary we closed 2025 with reserves of £701,614 (2024 £682,633) made up of £120,930 (2024 £109,759) held in unrestricted and designated funds, £54,039 (2024 £44,928) in restricted funds, £31,655 (£2024: £32,946) in endowment investments and £495,000 (2024 £495,000) valuation of tangible fixed assets.

Reserves & Risk Management

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with 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 (FRS102) (effective January 2019). Trustees are asked to report on their reserves (the policy, the level and the justification) and, where applicable, their investment and grant making policies, and the effectiveness of their fundraising activities. They should also provide a statement confirming that the major risks to which the charity is exposed have been reviewed and systems established to mitigate those risks. The identification of risk will determine the level of reserves held.

The reserves policy is to hold unrestricted reserves that will cover 3 months’ payment of parish share, 3 months’ utilities costs and 3 months’ pay to employees. At the end of 2025 this reserve was above the minimum limit required by the PCC.

Total unrestricted funds2025	Total unrestricted funds2024
£615,930	£604,759
Total unrestricted expenditure2025	Total unrestricted expenditure2024
£157,632	£208,683
Unrestricted reserves2025	Unrestricted Reserves2024
£120,930	£109,759

Unrestricted ‘liquid’ reserves at 31 December 2025 and 2026 Costs

	Per month	Per month	Subtotals
Parish Share	£	5480	£ 5480
Total Utlites(Church, Church Rooms & Chapel)			£985
Gas		£300
Electric		£220
Insurance		£210
Water		£185
Tel/Internet		£70
Total Employees including pensions			£3106
Cleaner		£438
P.A.s	£2058
Director of Music		£165
Treasurer		£445
Total cost per month			£9571
3 months’ worth of costs			£28,713
Unrestricted General Fund			£120,920
Excess of reserves over cost			£92,207

On behalf of the Rector and the PCC, I would like to thank you all for the financial support you gave in 2025, from both St Mary’s Church and Chapel. It is all greatly appreciated.

I would like to offer enormous thanks to Geraldine Brown who handed over the role of treasurer to me in May 2025, after dedicating much of her time to training me for the job and then continuing to offer her support to me throughout my first months as treasurer. Thank you also to the Rector, the PCC and Karen Briggs for all their support and to Brigitte Drabble for her valuable and steadfast work as Gift Aid secretary.

Churchwardens’ Report

Joanne Meharg and Sheila Wooding, Churchwardens

It is a great privilege but also a responsibility to serve as a churchwarden, and we both attended our induction service accompanied by Revd Paul at Christchurch Priory in June where we were asked to faithfully and diligently discharge the duties of the office by the Archdeacon, responding ‘with the help of God, I will’. We both also attended a training day at Chandlers Ford in September.

In June we had a parochial visitation. The previous one had taken place some years prior to Covid. The purpose of this is twofold, to ensure that all legal requirements are being properly met and an opportunity to reflect on the life, mission and ministry of the parish. In practice the process to get ready for the visitation involves a lot of time and effort by many people, ensuring that such things as all registers and documents are being kept appropriately, that all the items listed on the inventory (valuable and otherwise) and parish portal can be accounted for and are up to date. We would like to thank everyone who helped in making our visitation a success. The NADFAS (National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies) photographic record was very useful in identifying items.

Having been unable to find one or two items prior to the visitation a full clearance and sorting out of items in the loft above the choir vestry has been made and updates to records have been made where appropriate. Other work is in hand as suggested in the visitation report.

In June we got together with some of our newest members of the congregation for a short session on ‘Getting to know St Mary’s’, helping them to identify people with specific roles and answering any questions they had. Hopefully this has helped them to understand how our community within the church functions and to feel welcome and part of our family.

We certainly could not function without the very many people who volunteer their time and talents in so many differing ways offering their service to God and the community.

With a core value of being a caring community we continue to develop and regularly review out safeguarding strategy and are very grateful to both Lis Mayell and Sally Johnson who administer this on a day-to-day basis.

We would also like to thank our Cherish Building Project team for their dedicated hard work, especially with the recent reimagining of this project, which you will recently have had the opportunity to view and comment on.

Much of our church life is made possible by many other leaders and volunteers, on the hubs, the PCC, the ministry team, with a host of others who also generously give

of their time and energy but may be behind the scenes. Everyone’s talents working together as a team produce the worshipping body of St Mary’s who we are, also witnessing their faith in Jesus Christ and serving in the wider community of Kings Worthy. As your churchwardens we give thanks for all this help as we endeavour to carry out our promises of care for our church, our clergy, you the people, grounds and contents while personally asking in prayer for guidance on our own journeys of faith.

Diocesan Synod

Carol Dale, Diocesan Synod Representative

I was elected as a member of Diocesan Synod (DS) about 16 months ago and my duties are to attend meetings 3 times a year where we meet as clergy and laity reps plus 3 meetings a year for just laity reps. The topics we’ve discussed have included updates on:

Walking the Wessex Way which is the Strategic Mission and Ministry Development Plan for the Winchester diocese (our core values being serving, learning, loving and growing)

where members Co-options following the approval of the Racial Justice Strategy were asked to consider co-options of members of the Racial Justice Group

The Carbon Net Zero Routemap

The Annual Accounts and the Common Mission Fund (CMF)

Before you turn green with envy about the excitement I am exposed to in these meetings, I did experience some bewilderment when we were literally sitting in our deaneries ready to discuss Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF) and someone brought up a point of order which scuppered any talk of the topic. The PLF are a set of prayers, readings and liturgical material which, for the first time, enable same-sex couples to come to church for public prayers of dedication, thanksgiving and asking for God’s blessing as part of a regular church service. Subsequently, the House of Bishops has kicked the can into the long grass so I’m not sure if or when we will discuss PLF at a DS meeting.

My heart at these meetings is that we keep the Great Commission to ‘make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son And Holy Spirit’ (Matt 28:19) central to what we discuss, so please pray that the Holy Spirit envisions us once again.

Deanery Synod

Jaqualyn Moore, Deanery Synod Representative

I became St Mary’s representative on Deanery Synod at the APCM last year and it has been a very good way of getting to know more about what the Lord is doing in this part of Winchester.

Deaneries are designated groups of parishes that seek to work together in

partnership, encouraging each other, sharing resources and knowledge, and planning together the future shape of mission and ministry in their area. The Diocese of Winchester has thirteen deaneries and St Mary’s is one of 20 benefices/parishes in the Winchester Deanery.

I have been pleased to attend three meetings to date. Each started with refreshments as people gather giving an opportunity for fellowship and that all important ‘getting to know’, and this was followed by a time of worship and prayer. The business of the meetings has varied and has included presentations on a bid being made by the Diocese for central funding, the work of the Chaplain to gypsies and traveller groups, the work of the Chaplain to the shops and businesses in Winchester and how we can support that work. At the end of each meeting there is an opportunity for anyone to share an aspect of the work of their parish/benefice, which are always so encouraging to hear.

Mission and Ministry Hub

Revd Paul, Rector & Hub Leader

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:2

This report offers a reflective account of the mission and ministry hub over the past year. It is written with gratitude to God for his

sustaining grace, and with thankfulness for the faithfulness of clergy and lay ministers who, alongside me as your Rector, have served diligently in teaching, preaching, worship, and pastoral leadership.

Over the course of the year, I believe we have seen steady and prayerful progress towards the goals of deepening discipleship, strengthening theological confidence, nurturing worship that is faithful and engaging, and equipping the whole church for Christ-centred living in the world.

Faithfulness in Teaching, Preaching, and Worship

At the heart of St Mary’s ministry this year has been a consistent commitment to the faithful teaching of Scripture and the reverent leading of worship. Week by week, clergy and lay ministers alike have prepared carefully, prayed earnestly, and served

generously to ensure that the gathered worship of the church has been both biblically grounded and pastorally sensitive.

This diligence has been evident not only in Sunday services, but across the wider rhythm of church life: in midweek home groups, learning opportunities, home based initiatives, and informal spaces for theological reflection. Sermons have sought to open up Scripture in ways that speak honestly to contemporary questions while remaining rooted in the historic faith of the church. There has been a clear desire not simply to inform, but to form; to encourage lives shaped by the gospel, attentive to the leading of the Spirit, and responsive to God’s call in everyday discipleship.

Worship has continued to be led with care and theological integrity. Those involved in planning and leading services have shown sensitivity to the Anglican tradition, alongside a willingness to engage creatively and thoughtfully with different forms of expression. This has enabled worship at St Mary’s to remain both recognisably Anglican and pastorally responsive to the congregation it serves.

I am grateful to Debbie Emmott Dart who, as our Music Director, coordinates a very talented and diverse range of musicians each week. We are enjoying the grand piano enormously, often augmented by saxophones, violin, trumpet, a djembe drum and singers. On certain Sundays there is very much a ‘big band sound’ — a joyful noise that truly enhances our worship.

We have also resolved several short term issues with the audio visual equipment at St Mary’s. Some of the kit is understandably ageing, which led to unexpected system failures before or during services in late autumn 2025. A review, deep clean and restoration has, for the time being, stabilised the system so that it can be used reliably again — something I know is greatly appreciated. Looking ahead, we will need to invest in new equipment as our plans for Cherish progress. My thanks go to Edward Chase for his long standing oversight, to Catherine Saunders for leading the restoration project, and to the volunteer A/V operators who faithfully serve each week. In due course, we hope to adopt new presentation software and a single computing platform as we seek to minimise future A/V issues.

The Romans Sermon Series – Spring 2025

A significant highlight of the year was the sermon series on Romans, delivered in Spring 2025. This series was widely appreciated within the congregation and beyond, and was consistently described as instructive, accessible, and deeply enriching. Tackling one of the most theologically rich and demanding books of the New Testament, the series demonstrated a commendable confidence in trusting congregations to engage seriously with Scripture when it is taught clearly and prayerfully.

The sermons explored key themes of Romans — grace, justification, life in the Spirit, and God’s purposes for the world — helping listeners to see how Paul’s theology speaks directly into contemporary Christian living. Feedback indicated that many found the series both challenging and encouraging, deepening their understanding of the gospel and strengthening their assurance of God’s saving work in Christ.

The success of the Romans series also highlighted an important ministry goal: nurturing theological maturity within the congregation. Rather than simplifying Scripture to avoid difficulty, the preaching sought to walk with people through complexity, offering careful interpretation and pastoral application. This approach has borne fruit not only in positive feedback, but in an increased appetite for serious engagement with Scripture.

Learning4Life – Deepening Faith and Understanding

Another major contribution to the church’s life and learning continues to be our Learning4Life initiative, run by Stephen Golding and Matthew Briggs. This initiative continues to model the church’s commitment to lifelong learning, theological curiosity, and faithful engagement with complex questions.

Two well supported sessions took place during 2025. The first, in May 2025, welcomed guest speaker Dr Jim Paul, who led participants in reflecting on the “What on earth is heaven?” This session provocative and theologically rich question, invited thoughtful engagement with Christian hope, eschatology, and the relationship between present discipleship and future promise. Participants valued both the depth of Jim’s input and the space provided for discussion and reflection. It has also prompted some to visit L’Abri to share in their Friday evening talks or to watch them online — a link I hope will grow over time.

The second Learning4Life session, held in October 2025, was led by Stephen and Matthew themselves under the title “Making Sense of the Cross.” This session offered a clear and pastorally sensitive exploration of the meaning of the cross, addressing both its central place in Christian faith and the questions it can raise. It was appreciated for its theological clarity, accessibility, and encouragement to hold together biblical faithfulness and honest questioning.

Together, these sessions have reinforced Learning4Life as a valued and distinctive

strand of ministry at St Mary’s — one that equips the congregation to think deeply, speak confidently, and live faithfully as Christians in today’s world. I cannot stress highly enough the quality of these teaching sessions. To ensure they receive appropriate priority, we took the decision to slightly shorten them and to cancel other services on those days, while offering a shortened service of Holy Communion at the end. I warmly encourage all to attend. Many churches would be deeply envious of what is being offered here; my hope and prayer is that all of us will ‘taste and see’ how good these sessions are by attending the next one in May 2026.

The Chosen and Shared Learning in Homes

Alongside more formal teaching settings, the past year has also seen encouraging engagement through the showing of The Chosen film series in various homes. The Chosen is a compelling and imaginative presentation of the life of Jesus that challenges many prevailing stereotypes of the gospel narratives. Rather than presenting a strictly linear account, the stories overlap and layer upon one another, adding depth and drama. While some editorial licence is taken, for many viewers the series has made the words of Scripture come alive in fresh and meaningful ways.

The home based nature of these gatherings has supported one of the church’s ongoing goals: fostering discipleship in everyday settings and strengthening relationships across the congregation. Feedback suggests these evenings have been both accessible and spiritually enriching, offering a gentle entry point for those less confident in formal study settings while still encouraging thoughtful theological conversation.

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Open Book
Open Mind
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Open Book Open Mind

The ‘Open Book Open Mind’ reading group, facilitated by Stephen Golding, has continued to flourish and has been very well supported throughout the year. Focusing each term on a particular theological or moral issue, the group provides a trusted space for careful reading, respectful discussion, and shared discernment.

Participants value the balance the group strikes between openness and faithfulness, engaging honestly with challenging ideas while being gently drawn back to Scripture and the Christian tradition. The sustained commitment of those attending, and the quality of discussion reported, underline the importance of this group in nurturing confident, reflective discipleship within the church.

Gratitude for Faithful Service and New Beginnings

This year also provides an opportunity to express our gratitude to Tim Selwood for his faithful service on the ministry team. Tim’s wider ministry across parishes and dioceses through the Minstead Trust means that his Permission to Officiate is now more appropriately held by the Bishop’s Chaplain, who will oversee his ministry. We thank God for Tim’s ministry among us and for the ways his gifts continue to bless others through the work and witness of the trust.

As we reported at the end of 2025, Revd Jemima Lewis is taking this year (2026) as a sabbatical from public ministry and has laid down all formal responsibilities for leading groups and participating within the life of the parishes. This is to help her rest and concentrate more fully on the growing needs of her children, whilst managing the delicate and challenging role as Head of Communications for the diocese of Winchester - no small task. We have been blessed by Jemima as our curate, associate minister, friend and fellow pilgrim and we trust and pray that she will be helped this year by being released from public ministry. It has been good to see her attend periodically and maintain friendship and fellowship with us.

We also give thanks for new beginnings within the ministry team. In late 2025, we were pleased to welcome Alix Ward and Marinus Reynolds-Viljoen to the team, serving across both parishes. Their arrival has been a source of encouragement, and we look forward with anticipation to seeing their gifts, experience, and vocations develop among us. As they continue to grow into their roles, we pray that they will be supported, nurtured, and enriched by the shared life of our churches.

Conclusion

As we reflect on the past year, there is much for which to give thanks. The goals of faithful preaching, thoughtful teaching, sincere worship, and shared discipleship have been pursued with diligence and humility. While challenges remain, and while we are always conscious of our limitations, we trust that God has been at work among us — shaping lives, deepening faith, and drawing us more closely into the life of Christ.

As Rector, on behalf of the Mission and Ministry hub, I thank you for your partnership, prayers, and encouragement both to me and all who minister and serve at St Mary’s and St Swithun’s. We entrust 2026 and the years ahead to God’s gracious and faithful leading and purposes.

Blessing Others Hub Geraldine Brown, Hub Leader

Members of the Blessing Others Hub

Colin Arnett, Geraldine Brown, Charlene Cable, Michelle Gale, Kathryn Hodnett and Glenn Reynolds-Viljoen.

We were delighted to welcome Glenn as a member of our hub. Glenn has a vast amount of experience in business and world travel and already he has made a valuable contribution.

Once again, the hub has been privileged to be able to share God’s love on your behalf. We have received and assessed grant applications against our thoughtfully considered criteria that aim to ensure our gifting makes a real difference to those who receive it. Some of the successful applicants are listed below and represent different needs in our local and wider communities.

The Home Start Project - Tubbs Tummies in Kings Worthy

The Pelvic Partnership Charity

The Winchester Street and School Pastors

Winchester 3rd Scouts

Our recipients have shared how much our support means to the sustainability of their work. Thank you to everyone at St Mary’s who has been generous with their giving. We are thankful that as a church we can give to others and in total we have granted £4,250 during 2025.

Finally, we would like to thank our prayer partners and those who pray with us as a hub.

Children, Young People and Families Hub Revd Paul, Rector & Hub Leader

The mission to nurture children and young people is not a modern thing; it is a fundamental biblical mandate. In Deuteronomy, we are commanded to take the words of God

to heart and “teach them diligently to your children,” speaking of them when we sit in our houses, when we walk by the way, and when we lie down (Deuteronomy 6 v 6-7).

This theme of intentional instruction is found throughout the Scriptures. Proverbs 22 v 6 reminds us to “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Perhaps most poignantly, in the Gospels, we see Jesus himself setting a radical example for his disciples. When the crowds tried to keep children away, Jesus was indignant, saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10 v 14).

At St Mary’s, our work with the next generation is rooted in this same desire: to ensure that no child or young person is hindered from knowing the love of Christ.

While our biblical calling remains constant, the landscape in which we minister has has shifted dramatically. In the United Kingdom today, the “traditional Sunday” largely vanished. Families no longer find a natural vacuum on Sunday mornings; instead, they face a staggering proliferation and competing demands of social events, sports clubs and games, family commitments and retail opportunities that makes attending church just one of many things that they could do or not do.

The challenge for the modern Anglican church is stark. National data reflects a society where Sunday morning is often the primary window for junior football leagues, swimming sessions and dance rehearsals. This “secular competition” has a quantifiable impact on church attendance. Recent studies suggest that for many families, the choice is no longer between “faith and no faith”, but between two competing sets of community commitments.

To understand the significance of the work at St Mary’s, it’s helpful to look at the national average for the Church of England. According to the Statistics for Mission reports published in 2024 and early 2025, the reality for many parishes is sobering:

Average Child Attendance: Across the nearly 16,000 congregations in the Church of England, the median number of children attending a typical Sunday service is just one.
Childless Congregations: Approximately 32% of Anglican churches now report having no children at all in their regular worshipping community.

Concentration of Growth: While some larger “resource churches” see high numbers, the vast majority of parish churches struggle to maintain any consistent youth or children’s provision.

In this context, St Mary’s is unusual - and a testament to God’s grace and the hard work of our volunteers - in that a church of our size has been able to offer dedicated activities for pre-school and primary age children most weeks, through Little Fishes and Lighthouse. Whilst numbers have not been high (and are a reflection of a demise of the traditional Sunday as mentioned above) we have faithfully maintained offering what we can in the belief that we have something to give and help children if they do attend.

Reflecting on our Pattern of Ministry

Until recently, St Mary’s has maintained a robust and varied monthly rhythm designed to engage different ages and spiritual styles, following this pattern:

1st Sunday: Lighthouse (older) and Little Fishes (younger)
2nd Sunday: Forest Church (outdoor, creation-based worship for children and families)
3rd Sunday: Lighthouse and Little Fishes
4th Sunday: Breakfast Church (all-age informal worship)

This variety has allowed us to reach children who thrive in different environments, from the structured learning of Lighthouse to the hands-on exploration of Forest Church or the craft and reflective activities found at Breakfast Church.

The past year has brought significant changes that have necessitated a shift in this pattern. As we look forward, we must acknowledge the transitions that have shaped our current capacity and our need to make changes, however hard they may be to accept.

1. Little Fishes

After years of dedicated leadership, Jill Prince has made the personal decision to step away from leading Little Fishes. Jill has been a cornerstone of our ministry to our youngest members and their parents. Her ability to create a welcoming, gentle space for toddlers to begin their journey of faith has been a blessing to many families over many years.

We wish to record our deepest thanks to Jill for her faithful, tireless service. While we are saddened to lose her leadership in this specific role, we fully understand and support her decision and pray for God’s blessing on her as she focuses her love and care on Malcolm.

2. Wildfire Ministries and the Lighthouse Pattern

We also faced a transition regarding our partnership with Wildfire. In mid 2025 Wildfire made the strategic decision to shift their focus away from working within established church structures, leaving us as they had other churches in Winchester where they worked. Instead, they are concentrating their efforts on “unchurched” youth - reaching those who have no existing connection to a faith community.

As a result of this change in their mission, they were no longer able to support Lighthouse sessions on Sunday mornings and their last Sunday with us was on 7th December 2025. Consequently, we are currently only able to offer Lighthouse on the 3rd Sunday of the month through the willingness and commitment of Anna and Ben Gillings.

3. Closure of the Youth Drop-In

Parallel to these changes, the weekly, term-time Cherish initiative known as the ‘Youth Drop-In’ at the Chapel closed at the end of the autumn school term in December 2025. Wildfire had overseen and run this with us but the decision to (a) stop Henry Beaufort school bus in Kings Worthy and (b) an unexpected opportunity for Wildfire to be given a house that they could use as combined accommodation and offices was too good to pass. Consequently, they chose to leave the office we had provided for them at the Chapel and that too, for various reasons, contributed to the decision to close the Youth Drop In. While we are sad to see the end of the Drop-In at the Chapel, we recognize that for the time it ran, it was of benefit to those who engaged with it.

Signs of New Growth: The Sunday Evening Youth Group

While some doors have closed, others are opening. We are greatly encouraged by the formation of a new youth group in February 2026 (technically beyond the remit of this report) that meets on the second Sunday of the month in the evening.

This group has launched with a great sense of energy. We currently have 8 young people who are keen to attend. This space is designed specifically for them to ask difficult questions, support one another, and be mentored in their journey of faith during the often-challenging teenage years. Seeing these young people choose to spend their Sunday evening in fellowship is a sign of hope for all of us and I invite you to uphold that group in your prayers. If you can help by offering your home so that we might visit one evening, we’d like that too! Currently, we are hosted at the Rectory, but every second meeting will either be on a visit or at a different home.

Ministry of this scale is never the work of a single person. We want to express our sincere and ongoing gratitude to Ben and Anna Gillings. Their commitment to leading Lighthouse whenever it is running has been invaluable. In the same vein Charlotte and Jonathan Smith, Sheila Wooding and other volunteers offer a wonderful

experience at Forest Church – the amount of effort that goes into each session is significant and we express our thanks to them for this dedication and hard work. Jemima Lewis oversaw some of the work of this hub during 2025 for which we give thanks and at various points of the year Joanne Meharg has shouldered many of the conversations with Wildfire and other issues as we sought to discern the way forward for children and young people.

A Call to Prayer and Hope

As we navigate these changes, I ask the entire church family to prayerfully support our children and young people. Please pray for our volunteers, for the families balancing busy schedules, and specifically for the members of our new youth group.

In a world that often feels indifferent to the message of Christ, every hour spent teaching a child or listening to a teenager is an investment in their future and ultimately eternity. We believe that no effort is lost in God’s economy. I’m reminded of the promise found in Galatians 6 v 9:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

The seeds we are sowing today - in the 3rd Sunday Lighthouse, in Forest Church, Breakfast Church and in our new evening youth group - are being tended by the Holy Spirit. We look forward with hope to the great harvest that will be reaped from the work we do now.

Eco Church & Environment Hub

Andy Blaxland, Joy Carter, Edward Chase, Diana Gower, Charlotte Smith, Jonathan Smith, Tim Selwood and Sheila Wooding.

The Eco Church and Environment Hub co-ordinates St Mary’s work to become more eco responsible. St Mary’s is on a journey towards reducing its carbon emissions and to actively and appropriately care for and appreciate all aspects of God’s creation and the environment in our church locality and the wider world.

During 2025 the hub regularly met and worked together to identify actions we can take both within St Mary’s and within our wider community, taking into account national church and governmental policy in this area.

We were delighted in December 2025 to achieve the A Rocha UK Silver Eco Church Award. This followed an assessment of our performance against a series of criteria in the categories of Worship and Teaching, Buildings and Energy, Land and Nature, Community and Global, and Lifestyle. We found that following the Eco Church audit enabled us to focus on ways in which we could make changes – big and small – to better care for the environment, and to encourage others to do likewise. The hub is now in the process of reviewing what more it would need to do to achieve a gold award.

We were also very grateful for the fantastic support from our church community to the fundraising we ran in autumn 2025 towards the costs of installing solar panels on the St Mary’s Chapel roof. We raised just over £10,000 from within our congregation and other supporters, with this money being ‘match funded’ by the Church of England through its Give to Go Green grants – together providing the £20,000 towards the costs of the solar panel installation. Since the end of 2025 we have appointed a contractor, and the installation will be completed in April 2026. We will update on this in next year’s annual report.

Alongside the above, the hub continues with its work to care for the churchyard and Chapel grounds. We are so very grateful for the hard work of the volunteers who

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Churchyard Clearing
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maintain them in good order, promoting biodiversity, and using them to help inform and educate through Forest Church. The small team of volunteers works very hard through the year. We are always grateful for any offers of help with this work, and if there are any other members of the congregation who could offer some of their time to help, they would be made very welcome.

If you would like more information, or to help and support the work of the Eco Church and Environment Hub, please contact one of us at church or by emailing ecohub@worthychurches.org.uk or phone through the church office.

Physical Resources Hub

Julie Young, Hub Leader

The Physical Resources Hub has the privilege of looking after our beautiful church, the church rooms, St Mary’s Chapel and the Vergers Cottage. We see ourselves as custodians of the buildings

that we share for worship with a responsibility to promote church heritage and serve our local community. We are committed to maintaining our buildings to the highest standard possible so that we can truly embrace our surroundings and ensure they are welcoming spaces that offer a safe environment to support our church mission. The Physical Resources Hub enjoys a close working relationship with the Eco and Environment Hub. Two of our team members are also members of the Cherish Building Project Team and on the PCC.

During 2025 we focused on more general maintenance, with previous large refurbishments at both the chapel and church being concluded in 2024. Work included floor cleaning at the chapel, adjustment to the new chapel fire doors for ease of use, and new curtains in the Audsley Room. We undertook a review of our cleaning resource and adjusted the hours across both sites to increase the cleaning hours in the church rooms. As our existing utility contracts ended a great deal of work was undertaken to secure the most cost effective “green” deals. A vast amount of work undertaken by the hub happens behind the scenes and may not always be obvious. There are countless tasks, and the team manages nearly all of them directly. We constantly review and update policies to ensure our spaces are safe and fit for purpose. We also provide risk assessments in support of specific activities and our larger seasonal worship services. Our responsibility extends to all who use the church and chapel facilities – our own church community, hall hirers, visitors, staff, and contractors.

We continued to work closely alongside the Eco Hub as so much of our work is intrinsically linked. Whilst some unforeseen hurdles have temporarily halted the installation of solar panels at the church, the installation of panels at the chapel will take place in April. The generosity of our church family secured a grant that has

allowed this to happen.

In March 2025 we welcomed a new tenant to the Vergers Cottage. Minor updates and refurbishments were undertaken to ensure compliance with our responsibilities as a landlord. Our tenant is extending his agreement to remain in the cottage for a further year and possibly beyond.

The Cherish Building Project was suspended over the summer months to provide an opportunity for reflection and strategic planning regarding its future direction. The team came back together in the autumn and ready to present a revised design plan to the congregation in the spring.

Our next quinquennial inspection is due at the end of 2026. A significant portion of the routine upkeep needed for both the interior and exterior of the building will form part of the Cherish upgrade. We hope to see this work commence in 2027.

Engagement & Pastoral Support Hub

Helen Bradish, Hub Leader on behalf of the team

Hub Leaders: Helen Bradish, Marion Golding, Jill Mapes

Purpose of the Hub: The hub aims to ensure that pastoral support is offered to all, helping everyone find a home and safe place within the worshipping community of St Mary’s where all gifts can be valued and deployed.

The year 2025 has seen the Engagement & Pastoral Support Hub consolidating on the previous years’ work and improving models of working where a need becomes apparent.

The wide ranging variety of small groups that meet continue to offer their members kindness, friendship and pastoral support. They form the main pastoral network of the church.

These groups include: InStitches, a walking group, belling ringing, ‘Romeos’ (a self-led supportive group for widowed gentlemen), Open Book Open Mind, Men@Meals, @thebreakfastkitchen, flower arranging, Worthy Gamers and Tuesdays Place.

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Tuesdays Place
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InStitches
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Four active and vibrant house groups/Bible study groups meet at various times on different days, so if you’re not already in one, don’t miss out – find one that might suit you and join in!

The Welcome Team offers a warm expression of hospitality as folk arrive at our services. This vital ministry is often a newcomer’s first point of contact with our church and helps to put people at ease, letting them know how pleased we are to see them. If you’re a kind person with a big smile, we are always looking to extend this team.

As part of our commitment to keeping everyone safe, a supervision group meets together twice a year for the Tuesdays Place outreach team who visit folk in their homes, if they are no longer able to attend Tuesday’s Place. This year has also seen the initiation of a peer support group for housegroup leaders which has proved informative and encouraging.

The hub leaders would like to say a big thank you to everyone who helps to care for others in our church family and the wider community, both in the ways described and in others – too many to mention. These expressions of kindness are at the core of our calling to share the good news of Jesus with our neighbours.

The Engagement and Pastoral Support Hub leaders would welcome a conversation with anyone who would like to join them in this leadership ministry, to share the load and as an appropriate way of succession planning.

We are grateful to Joanne Meharg for her prayerful support to the hub as churchwarden and ministry team member.

There are very many opportunities to join in the life of St Mary’s – not just on Sundays but all through the week – ways to belong, to be cared for, to care for others, to learn, to grow and to be part of this vibrant community. Please know that you are invited and most welcomed!

Tuesdays Place Helen Bradish, Tuesdays Place Team Leader

It is a joy to be a part of the fun that happens at Tuesdays Place – an expression of St Mary’s Church in our community.

We gather on the fourth Tuesday of the month, around an activity or entertainment , to share friendship, laughter and offer mutual support through all the ups and downs that life brings along.

During 2025 we have enjoyed armchair dancing, talks by Emma Lowres, a local artist, Amanda Hassell from the Royal British Legion and a visit from the Chesil Street Theatre Outreach Team; as well as music from the Ukelele Band ‘Loose Chippings’, vintage cream teas and a fabulous Christmas party.

In June we embarked on a coach trip to Milestones Museum Basingstoke, and another month were amazed at the stories told by retired firefighter, Ray.

Our activities draw in friends from church and the local community promoting companionship and connection whilst combatting loneliness and isolation.

Our numbers have been growing throughout the year and we often attract between 50-60 guests.

A highlight this year came in March when a few of us had the privilege of accepting the Mayor of Winchester’s Community Award on behalf of everyone who makes Tuesdays Place such a vibrant event. I extend heartfelt thanks to my amazing team – too many to name here, but you know who you are! It couldn’t happen without you.

In the Tuesdays Place space, we hold the fragility of what’s going on in peoples’ lives and they are a fabulous crowd encouraging each other – we all go home feeling uplifted.

I will give the last few words to the Tuesdays Place friends who were quoted in the diocesan newsletter saying,

‘…after losing my husband Tuesday Place was my life saver…….it was beautiful; it made all the difference to me and then gradually I also went to church.’

‘…..it’s a friendship hub which is especially good for people who are bereaved or on their own…..now I come to the Sunday afternoon service at the Chapel.’

‘I wanted to meet people so I joined Tuesday Place. It gives structure to my week as I know I’m doing something on a Tuesday afternoon on a regular basis. They are such a good team of volunteers and they’re all welcoming and generous. I’m very grateful for all the good things the church is doing.’

Tuesdays Place is a sacred space where we believe the Lord’s presence touches lives, bringing joy and peace. I count it a great honour to be part of this very special gathering.

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST MARY'S, KINGS WORTHY CHARITY NUMBER 1130588

UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

Rector’s Report 2025

Parish of St Mary’s, Kings Worthy

It is with thankfulness that I present this annual report for the year 2025. Last year marked my tenth year with you, and I have loved being your Rector. I often find myself popping into St Mary’s at different times of the week, standing at the back of the nave as sunshine streams through the East Window or through the windows of the Side Chapel. I am always struck by the immense privilege it is to serve the community of St Mary’s and the village of Kings Worthy.

This report reflects on our shared life in 2025 — our worship, governance, mission, and the faithfulness of God among us.

This past year has been defined by resilience and perseverance: doing the steady things of parish ministry well, faithfully and prayerfully. In a world that feels increasingly fragmented, our parish remains a beacon of stability and a place of peace. Yet, as we all know, the church is not merely a collection of stones; it is a “living temple” built of people. This report is, above all, a testament to your faithfulness as the living stones of St Mary’s.

Faithfulness is expressed not only in worship, but also in how we steward responsibility — and this was tested most clearly this year through the diocesan visitation.

The Diocesan Visitation

One of the most significant, and perhaps most daunting, milestones of 2025 was the formal visitation undertaken on behalf of the Archdeacon and the diocese. Under canon law, all parish churches are inspected approximately every five years. These visitations ensure compliance with church legislation, national regulations, and best practice.

This is the moment when we demonstrate that we have what we say we have, that we do the things required of us, and that our records and registers are kept accurately. In a society that rightly places a high value on safeguarding practice and process, this has become an especially significant part of the visitation. It also covers many mundane, but essential, matters: whether we maintain a register of key holders, ensure staff have the right to work in the UK, and hold appropriate building evacuation plans. The process is thorough and demanding, as you would expect.

St Mary’s was chosen as one of the first churches in the diocese to be visited again after a long period of absence. Formal visitations ceased during Covid, and this year marked the diocese’s attempt to re-establish standards of good governance, safeguarding, financial oversight, and administration.

I wish to highlight the extraordinary work of the team who made this possible: our Churchwardens, Joanne Meharg and Sheila Wooding; our Treasurer, Catherine Saunders, whose financial precision ensured our accounts were in excellent order; and Karen Briggs, whose technical skill in designing and presenting the spreadsheet made a significant difference.

We celebrate this achievement with gratitude, mindful that good governance is not an endpoint but an ongoing discipline of faithfulness. We can also be confident that we are well prepared for the next visitation, likely to take place after 2030.

Worship and Faithfulness

The beating heart of St Mary’s remains our gathered worship. We enjoy a wide variety of styles and approaches — from traditional communions to relaxed all-age services — and we give time and care to ensure that we offer our very best in worship.

Faithfulness in Attendance

In an age when “the busyness of life” is often cited as a reason for absence, I have been deeply encouraged by your commitment. Average weekly attendance has remained steady at between 65 and 75. Sometimes there is no clear reason why numbers rise or fall, a phenomenon I explore further in the Children and Youth report, but we have also welcomed new people into our regular worshipping community. Your faithfulness is not merely a statistic; it is an expression of what truly matters in a secular age.

Music Ministry

Our Hubs: Functional Leadership

Our functional Hubs enable the work of the Gospel to be shared across the gifts of the congregation, ensuring that leadership is collaborative and that the Rector acts as a facilitator of the whole ministry.

Eco and Environmental Hub

Against the backdrop of a global climate crisis, the Eco and Environmental Hub has helped us make significant progress, culminating in the award of a Silver Eco Church. From caring for the churchyard as a place of biodiversity, to auditing energy use, exploring solar options, and offering monthly environmental tips, this hub reminds us that stewardship begins with the earth beneath our feet. I am grateful to Andy Blaxland and the team for their dedication.

Physical Resources

Mission and Ministry

This hub keeps our focus firmly on giving Jesus the highest honour in worship, preaching, and praise. Further detail on its work and our shared discipleship can be found in my separate report.

Blessing Others (Charitable Giving)

Despite the rising cost of living, 7% of parish income has been given away through the Blessing Others Hub. Support for food banks, Street Pastors, Home-Start, and other causes ensures that our generosity reaches both our local community and the wider world. My thanks go to Geraldine Brown and her prayerful and discerning team.

Pastoral and Engagement

Led by Helen Bradish, Marion Golding, and Jill Mapes, this hub oversees our Welcome ministry and helps ensure that everyone can find a genuine home within the life of St Mary’s. Working confidentially, they help identify needs and discern how best to respond. Small groups remain central to our pastoral life, and this work is vital to our sense of belonging.

Children, Youth, and Families

This has been a more challenging year for our Children and Young People’s Hub. Joanne Meharg and I have overseen a number of changes, detailed elsewhere in this report. Please continue to pray for our children, young people, and those who lead and support them. In the world we inhabit, this remains one of the most important investments we can make.

Small Groups and Home Groups

While the Hubs manage the functions of parish life, our Small Groups and Home Groups provide much of our fellowship and pastoral care.

I want to express particular thanks to all group leaders. In your living rooms — over Scripture, prayer, cake, and many cups of tea or coffee — the real work of being the Church takes place. You are often the first to notice need and to offer care, both within your groups and across the parish.

I also wish to acknowledge the ministry Dave Dale has developed among men within the church and beyond. Men@Meals has become a well-established monthly gathering, and the Men’s Bible Study Group at the Worthies Sports and Social Club has provided a welcoming space to explore male characters from Scripture together.

Looking Ahead

In the coming year, I ask you to support this work through prayer, thoughtful engagement, and continued generosity.

A Final Word of Thanks

To the Churchwardens, Ministry Team, PCC, Hub leaders, Small Group leaders, and to every person who has given a gift of time, talent, or money: thank you. St Mary’s, Kings Worthy, is a special worshipping community because of you. You have shown that faithfulness is not about standing still, but about moving forward together in the light of Christ.

A Closing Prayer

I invite you to make the following prayer your own.

Lord Jesus,

Grant us a deeper commitment to your Word and to one another. Make us attentive to the work and promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we look toward the changing face of our building,

may our hearts remain fixed on the unchanging beauty of your love.

Strengthen our hands for the work ahead,

soften our hearts toward the stranger at our door,

and may St Mary’s always be a place where your name is known, your people are fed, and your Kingdom is visible. Amen.

Revd Paul Bradish, Rector of Kings Worthy

16/04/2026

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s, Kings Worthy For the year ended 31 December 2025

Treasurer’s Financial Summary 2025

Dona�on receipts on unrestricted funds came to £96,483 of which £78,561 was unrestricted voluntary dona�ons and a further £17,922 from Gi� Aid tax recovered. Restricted dona�ons of £4,800 were also received and detailed in the

Unrestricted income from Charitable and Trading Ac�vi�es - hire of the church rooms, chapel, wedding and funeral fees, fundraising ini�a�ves and a surplus on parish magazine sales and adver�sing revenue raised £27,152.

Verger’s Co�age valued at £475,000 in October 2022. Rent received totalled £11,791.

Included with interest received, £6,223 interest retained in the CBF deposit account, which is a significant decrease from 2024 (£10,053).

The valuation of the four endowment policies decreased by £1,291.

£4,250 was distributed by the Blessing Others Hub to local charities.

A sum of £455 was received in the form of a ‘Quick Wins Grant’ from the diocese, which was to be spent on the heating system at the Chapel.

£11,855 was received from the estate of the late Alan Peers to be used by St Mary’s at the discre�on of the PCC.

The Youth Fund

In July 2024, a request was made to the Chisslands Trust by the PCC to convert part of a grant made by the Trust in 2022 of £75,000 for youth and children’s provision across both parishes. The request was that £36,000 of the remaining grant might be diverted to support the Cherish Building Project and their design efforts as it related to provision of facili�es for youth and children. This was agreed and that the PCC would make arrangements to bolster the original fund by repaying £6,000 each year, for 6 years. £26,000 was withdrawn in 2024.

Reserves & Risk Management

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with Accoun�ng and Repor�ng by Chari�es: Statement of Recommended Prac�ce applicable to chari�es preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Repor�ng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effec�ve January 2019). Trustees are asked to report on their reserves (the policy, the level and the jus�fica�on) and, where applicable, their investment and grant making policies, and the effec�veness of their fundraising ac�vi�es. They should also provide a statement confirming that the major risks to which the charity is exposed have been reviewed and systems established to mi�gate those risks. The The

Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s, Kings Worthy

For the year ended 31 December 2025

The reserves policy is to hold unrestricted reserves that will cover 3 months’ payment of parish share, 3 months’ u�li�es costs and 3 months’ pay to employees. At the end of 2025 this reserve was above the minimum limit required by the PCC.

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Total unrestricted funds 2025 Total unrestricted funds 2024
£615,930 £604,759
Total unrestricted expenditure 2025 Total unrestricted expenditure 2024
£157,632 £208,683
Unrestricted reserves 2025 Unrestricted Reserves 2024
£120,930 £109,759
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Unrestricted ‘liquid’ reserves at 31 December 2025 and 2026 Costs

	Per month	Subtotals
Parish Share	£ 5,480	£ 5,480
Total U�li�es(Church, Church Rooms & Chapel)		£985
Gas	£300
Electric	£220
Insurance	£210
Water	£185
Tel/Internet	£70
Total Employees including pensions		£3,106
Cleaner	£438
P.A.s	£2,058
Director of Music	£165
Treasurer	£445
Total cost per month		£9,571
3 months’ worth of costs		£28,713
Unrestricted General Fund		£120,920
Excess of reserves over cost		£92,207

On behalf of the Rector and the PCC, I would like to thank you all for the financial support you gave in 2025, from both St Mary’s Church and Chapel. It is all greatly appreciated.

Catherine Saunders

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy for the year ended 31 December 2025

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 5 to 18.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the trustees' 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:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2006 Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

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.

16/04/2026

CJ GOODHEAD FCA Knight Goodhead Limited Chartered Accountants

7 Bournemouth Road Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh Hampshire SO53 3DA

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2025

Notes
Income
Donations and Legacies
2
Other Trading Activities
2
Investments
2
Charitable Activities
2
Total Income
Expenditure
Fund Raising Trading costs
3
Charitable Activities
3
Total Expenditure
Investment losses/gains
7
Net (deficit)/Surplus before transfers
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Fund Balances at 1 January 2025
10
Fund Balances at 31 December 2025
10

Unrestricted
Restricted Endowment
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
111,121
25,632
-
136,753
93,461
15,158
-
-
15,158
13,082
18,525
378
26
18,929
23,624
20,000
500
-
20,500
26,272
164,803
26,510
26
191,340
156,439
1,370
-
-
1,370
1,055
156,262
13,409
-
169,672
221,276
157,632
13,409
-
171,042
222,331
-
-
(1,317)
(1,317)
762
7,171
13,101
(1,291)
18,982
(65,130)
3,990
(3,990)
-
-
-
11,161
9,111
(1,291)
18,982
(65,130)
604,759
44,928
32,946
682,633
747,763
615,920
54,039
31,655
701,614
682,633

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Comparative Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2024

Notes
Income
Donations and Legacies
Other Trading Activities
Investments
Charitable Activities
Total Income
Expenditure
Fund Raising Trading costs
Charitable Activities
Total Expenditure
Investment gains
Net (deficit)/Surplus before transfers
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Fund Balances at 1 January 2024
10
Fund Balances at 31 December 2024
10

Unrestricted
Restricted Endowment
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
2024
2023
£
£
£
£
92,987
474
-
93,461
107,441
13,082
-
-
13,082
12,691
23,256
368
-
23,624
19,655
25,832
440
-
26,272
17,193
155,157
1,282
156,439
156,980
1,055
-
-
1,055
1,886
207,628
13,648
-
221,276
176,252
208,683
13,648
-
222,331
178,138
-
-
762
762
2,790
(53,526)
(12,366)
762
(65,130)
(18,368)
25,950
(25,950)
-
-
-
(27,576)
(38,316)
762
(65,130)
(18,368)
632,335
83,244
32,184
747,763
766,131
604,759
44,928
32,946
682,633
747,763

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Balance Sheet for the year ended 31 December 2025

Notes Fixed Assets Land and property 6 Equipment 6 Investments 7 Current Assets Debtors 8 Short Term Deposits Cash at bank and in hand Current Creditors Liabilities due within one year 9 Net Assets Funds Endowment funds 10 Restricted funds 10 Unrestricted funds 10 Total Funds 10	2025 £ £ 495,000 8,765 31,655 535,420 3,210 143,727 25,292 172,229 (6,035) 701,614 31,655 54,039 615,920 701,614	2024 £ £ 495,000 13,744 32,946 541,690 3,132 130,504 15,199 148,835 (7,892) 682,633 32,946 44,928 604,759 682,633

Signed on Behalf of the PCC by

….................................................

Trustee

Date: 16/04/2026

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

1 Accounting Policies

(a) Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 together with applicable accounting standards and the 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 (FRS102) (effective January 2019). The statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for the valuation of the investment assets, which are shown at market value, and the Verger's Cottage, which is shown at an independent valuation.

The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body or those that are informal gatherings of church members.

(b) Funds

A description of the specific Funds is given in note 10 to the financial statements.

The Unrestricted Funds are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use and are available for application for the general purposes of the PCC.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes.

The Restricted funds comprise funds where money has been given for a particular purpose and where the whole of the money, capital and income, may be applied only for that purpose.

The Endowment funds are funds where only the income may be applied: income from the Northbrook Trust may be applied for any of the purposes of the church, while income from the Churchyard Fund has to be applied for maintenance of the churchyard. Both funds are permanent endowment, i.e. the capital cannot be spent.

(c) Income

The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the financial statements of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Planned giving receivable under covenant or otherwise, Collections, Gift Aid donations, Grants and Legacies, are accounted for when received.

Funds raised by events (e.g. annual fete) are accounted for gross, with costs stated separately;

Income from parish magazine sales and advertisements Is stated gross, with costs reported separately.

Rental income from the letting of church premises are accounted for when the rental is due.

Dividends and interest are accounted for when receivable.

(d) Gains and losses on investments

Realised gains or losses are accounted for when investments are sold.

Unrealised gains or losses are accounted for on revaluation of investments at 31st December.

(e) Expenditure

Grants for charitable purposes

Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded if that award creates a binding obligation on the PCC.

Charitable activities

The Parish Share is accounted for when payable. Maintenance expenditure, whether accounted for through the Fabric Fund or otherwise, is treated as extraordinary only when major and the subject of a special appeal for funds; funds used for such purposes are treated as extraordinary income.

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

2
INCOME
Donations and Legacies
Planned giving "Gift Aid"
"Gift Aid" Tax reclaimed
Planned giving not "Gift Aid"
Donations
Other Giving
Tuesday's Place
Give To Go Green
Grant
Legacies
Total Donations and Legacies
Trading Activities
Parish Magazine adverts
Chapel Rental
Fund Raising events
Total Trading Activities
Investments
Dividends and Interest
Verger's Cottage
Total Investments
Charitable Activities
Parish Magazine Sales
Church Rooms Rental
Flower Fund Donation
Bubbles
VAT recoverable
Wedding/Funeral Fees
Charitable Activities
Total Income

Unrestricted
Restricted Endowment
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
£
66,998
-
-
66,998
63,434
17,923
-
-
17,923
17,159
210
-
-
210
-
7,658
2,650
-
10,308
8,478
5,476
-
-
5,476
4,090
-
2,300
-
2,300
300
-
20,227
-
20,227
-
1,000
455
-
1,455
-
11,856
-
-
11,856
-
111,121
25,632
-
136,753
93,461
2,655
-
-
2,655
2,122
8,941
-
-
8,941
6,804
3,562
-
-
3,562
4,156
15,158
-
-
15,158
13,082
6,734
378
26
7,138
10,921
11,791
-
-
11,791
12,703
18,525
378
26
18,929
23,624
3,777
-
-
3,777
3,819
11,613
-
-
11,613
11,987
50
300
-
350
440
276
-
-
276
293
-
-
-
-
2,477
4,284
200
-
4,484
7,256
20,000
500
-
20,500
26,272
164,804
26,510
26
191,340
156,439

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

3 Expenditure

Grants for charitable purposes

Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded if that award creates a binding obligation on the PCC.

Charitable activities

Raising Funds
Fund Raising Costs
Total Raising Funds
Charitable Activities
Charitable Giving
Parish Share
Clergy Expenditure inc Admin
Honorariums
Caretaker and Cleaner
Upkeep of Services
Churchyard
Magazine costs
Chapel costs
Church and Rooms costs
Verger's Cottage costs
Administration
Administration Outreach
Cherish project
Support (Youth)
Flowers
Independent Examination
Total Charitable Activities
Total Expenditure

Unrestricted
Restricted Endowment
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
£
1,370
-
-
1,370
1,055
1,370
-
-
1,370
1,055
4,425
160
-
4,585
5,574
67,098
2,500
-
69,598
66,963
18,355
-
-
18,355
17,370
3,000
-
-
3,000
-
5,037
-
-
5,037
5,009
4,129
-
-
4,129
5,018
90
500
-
590
3,110
5,072
-
-
5,072
4,666
7,525
424
-
7,949
16,138
12,467
423
-
12,890
29,425
2,497
-
-
2,497
928
12,664
54
-
12,718
9,816
34
1,380
-
1,414
885
11,829
-
-
11,829
45,369
-
7,754
-
7,754
8,982
-
214
214
223
2,040
-
-
2,040
1,800
156,262
13,409
-
169,671
221,276
157,632
13,409
-
171,041
222,331

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

4 Staff Costs Charitable activity Wages and Salaries Clergy Expenses 2 Administrators (average 25hrs/week) Upkeep of Services Minister of Music Upkeep of Services Caretaker and Cleaner Assistant staff Youth Worker	2025 2024 £ £ 17,511 13,589 1,915 1,874 5,046 5,008 7,502 8,698 31,974 29,169

Wages and Salaries Pension payments commenced November 2016. Tax and National Insurance contributions have been deducted where applicable.

The average number of staff employed during the year was four. No employee earned over £60,000.

No members of key management personnel were paid on an employed basis during this, or the prior, year. The role of Rector is not paid directly by the church, and the Church Warden is an unpaid post.

5 Related Party Transactions

During the year 6 (2024: 5) members of the PCC, excluding the Rector, received reimbursement for expenditure made on behalf of the PCC during 2025, mainly for consumable administration, outreach supplies, and works for the Chapel, Church Rooms and building, for a total of £3,546 (2024: £5,579).

During the year £11,836 (2024: £10,620) of payroll costs and £11,945 (2024: £11,034) of consumable administration costs were recharged to St Swithun's Church, a charity related through common trustees. These costs are not included in these accounts.

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

6 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Consecrated land and buildings and movable church furnishings.

Consecrated and beneficed property (i.e. the Church and the Rectory) is excluded from the accounts by the Charities Act 2011. No value is placed on movable church furnishings held by the churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal since the PCC considers them to be inalienable property. All expenditure incurred during the year on consecrated or benefice buildings and movable church furnishings, whether maintenance or improvement, is written off as expenditure and separately disclosed.

Other fixtures, fittings and equipment

Items of equipment with a purchase price of under £1,000 are written off when acquired. Equipment purchased for £1,000 or over for church purposes will be capitalised and written off over 4 or 5 years on a straight-line basis.

St Mary's Chapel/Church Hall building

Is held on a 99 year lease from 1972, is not being depreciated. The cost of the Church Rooms has been expensed and, as a building integrated with the Church, nothing is being set aside for depreciation. Built in 1973, at a cost of approximately £10,000, and extended in 1984, at a cost of £10,000, with finance provided by a bequest from Reginald Nelson, at that time the Hon. Treasurer of the PCC. It is built on land owned by Winchester City Council.

Verger’s Cottage

Is a freehold semi-detached cottage in Church Lane, Kings Worthy. It was bequeathed to the Rector and Churchwardens of St Mary’s Church by the Will of Mrs Mary Elizabeth Curry, who died on 12th August 1946. In a Codicil to her Will she expressed the wish, but without creating any binding obligation, that the Cottage should be retained for the use of the Verger. On 24th February 1950 the Cottage was vested in the Official Trustee of Charity Lands and on 6th June 1950 approval for retention of the property was given by the Charity Commission. The cottage was valued by Andrew Mathys, a qualified valuer and Associate Director of Goadsby & Harding (Residential) Ltd, in November 2022 at £475,000. Mr Mathys is not a Trustee or a member of the Charity’s staff.

COST At beginning of year Additions Disposals At end of year DEPRECIATION At beginning of year Charge for the year On disposals At end of year NET BOOK VALUE At end of year At beginning of year	Land and Buildings £ 495,000 - - 495,000 - - - - 495,000 495,000	Fixtures Office Total and Fittings Equipment Equipment £ £ £ 19,912 6,183 26,095 - - - - - - 19,912 6,183 26,095 6,169 6,183 12,352 4,979 - 4,979 - - - 11,147 6,183 17,330 8,765 - 8,765 13,744 - 13,744

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS
	Units	Value	Gain/(Loss)	2025	2024
		£	£	£	£
CCLA Northbrook Trust	796	22.20	(736)	17,670	18,406
CCLA Sir William Kay	42	22.20	(12)	932	944
CCLA Mary Ward	264	22.20	(244)	5,860	6,104
CCLA Mr Cundell Blake	324	22.20	(300)	7,192	7,492
			(1,291)	31,655	32,946

Included in the Gain/(Loss) of CCLA Sir William Kay is £26 of income which was reinvested during the year.

8
DEBTORS
Income Tax Recoverable
Church Rooms and Chapel Bookings
9
CREDITORS
Cherish project
Independent Examination
Tea & Toast
Parish Magazine Printing and HWPCC share
Church/Chapel Gas Supply
Church/Chapel Electric Supply
Staff costs pension
Church and Rooms Water
Church Maintenance
Budgeted giving
Youth Worker
Bank charges
Deferred income

Unrestricted
Restricted Endowment
funds
funds
funds
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
£
1,098
-
-
1,098
1,399
2,112
-
-
2,112
1,733
3,210
-
-
3,210
3,132
Unrestricted
Restricted Endowment
funds
funds
funds
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
-
3,435
1,800
-
-
1,800
1,500
-
-
-
-
1,080
-
-
-
-
157
941
-
-
941
1,145
48
-
-
48
289
100
-
-
100
75
633
-
-
633
169
-
-
-
-
-
1,950
-
-
1,950
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
42
563
-
-
563
-
6,035
-
-
6,035
7,892

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

10
FUNDS
Restricted funds
Chapel Trust
Restricted Giving
Tuesday's Place
Churchyard Maintenance
Parish share
Community Sanctuary Chest
Flower Fund
Quick Wins Grant
Gift to Go Green
Warm Welcome
Youth Education
Total Restricted funds
Endowment funds
Northbrook Trust
Churchyard
Total Endowment funds
Unrestricted funds
General Fund
Designated funds
Charitable Giving
Music
Community Outreach Chest
Rector's Discretionary
Legacy fund
Chisslands Admin Grant
Cherish Building Project RIBA
Breakfast Kitchen
Vergers Cottage
Chapel
Total Unrestricted funds
Total funds

At 1 January
2025
Income and
Gains
Expenditure
and Losses
Transfers
At 31 December
2025
£
£
£
£
£
424
-
(424)
-
-
-
150
(160)
10
-
1,012
2,300
(1,380)
-
1,932
3,843
378
(500)
-
3,721
-
2,500
(2,500)
-
-
543
-
(54)
-
489
318
500
(214)
-
604
-
455
(423)
32
-
20,227
-
-
20,227
556
-
-
-
556
38,232
-
(7,754)
(4,000)
26,478
44,928 26,510 (13,409) (3,990) 54,039
18,451
-
(781)
-
17,670
14,495
26
(536)
-
13,985
32,946 26 (1,317) - 31,655
76,752
147,225
(139,578)
(12,763)
71,636
6,736
-
(4,250)
6,753
9,239
2,123
3,257
(1,320)
4,060
205
-
-
-
205
870
1,900
(1,012)
-
1,758
18,876
11,856
-
-
30,732
1,678
(132)
-
1,546
2,519
(11,340)
10,000
1,179
-
565
-
-
565
475,000
-
-
-
475,000
20,000
-
-
-
20,000
604,759 164,803 (157,632) 3,990
615,920
682,633
191,339
(172,359)
-
701,614

Restricted and endowment funds

Restricted and endowment funds are those funds that must be spent on restricted purposes and the details of the funds held and restrictions are as below.

Unrestricted funds

Unrestricted funds are those funds that may be spent for any purpose however the charity has chosen to designate some of the funds for specific purposes. Details of the designated funds held are as below.

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

The restricted funds comprise:

Churchyard Maintenance:

A gift of £8,000 received in November 2019 from Mrs Dorothy Gravett in memory of her son Barry Walters for keeping the Churchyard in good order. Dividends received from the Churchyard Endowment Funds are paid into this Fund. A Legacy of £1,000 received in July 2022 from the Estate of the late Hannah Livesey with a request it is used for the upkeep of the graves and churchyard.

Chapel Trust:

The Chapel Trust was set up in 2012 for the purpose of funding improvements and refurbishment of the Chapel/Church Hall. Part of the vision is that the Chapel becomes a focal point for the local area and is open to the community in general when not in use for services, clubs and other hirers.

Tuesday's Place

A community afternoon club. Tuesday’s Place received a gift of £670 in 2016 to be used for the benefit of members at their meetings in the Chapel. Topped up in 2022 by the transfer of balances from designated funds, Anna Chaplaincy and Pantry. In 2024 the fund was topped up by £550 from the transfer of the balance from The Children's Lunch Club.

Children's Lunch Club

Launched in 2016 and funded by grants from Kings Worthy Parish Council, Winchester & District Welfare Trust and the Church & Village Fete. During the year with agreement from the donor's and the PCC the final balance of £550 was transferred to Tuesday's Place.

Restricted Giving:

Giving by parishioners for specific nominated purposes, the balance is always zero as the funds are passed on to the nominees in the period.

Youth Education Worker fund:

In July 2024, a request was made to the Chisslands Trust by the PCC to convert part of the grant made by the Trust in 2022 of £75,000 for youth and children's provision across both parishes. The request was that £36,000 of the remaining grant might be diverted to support the Cherish Build Project and their design efforts as it related to the provision of facilities for youth and children. This was agreed and that the PCC would make arrangements to bolster the original fund by repaying the loan of £6,000 each year, for 6 years. £26,000 was withdrawn in 2024.

Community Sanctuary Chest:

Fund set up to help Ukrainian refugees in need of accommodation and necessities, available for people in similar crisis situations in the community.

Warm Welcome

A Warm Welcome facility introduced during November 2022 in the Chapel, offering refreshments and sociability to the community initially twice a week however during 2024 the group did not meet as often. This was financed by two gifts of £500 each and subsequent gifts of £100 and £300.

Flower Fund

In 2024 the flower fund was set up to manage the account within the church finances. The flower team continue to apply their expertise on a weekly basis to enhance the beauty of church for which we are extremely grateful.

Give to Go Green Fund

The Give to Go Green initiative is a match funding project from the Church of England aimed at doubling local donations to support carbon reduction projects. £10,226 was donated during the Give to Go Green campaign at St Mary’s to raise money for solar panels for the Chapel. A further £10,000 grant from the Church of England was given in match funding for the project. The solar panels are expected to be installed in 2026.

The endowment funds comprise:

Northbrook Trust:

The Trust was established on 2nd April 1956 by the Fifth Lord Northbrook from the proceeds of selling a schoolhouse and land in the parish. One-third of the income is to be applied for the maintenance of St Mary’s Church; the balance is to be applied for general purposes, i.e. for the Church or Church Hall. One-third of the capital was permitted to be used, with the consent of the Bishop of Winchester; it was withdrawn in April 1973 for financing the new Church Hall. The remaining capital is invested in 796 shares in the CCLA CBF Investment Fund and held in trust by the Diocese.

Sir William Algernon Kay:

For the benefit of the poor in the parish. The capital originally consisted of £100 in War Loan, which was reinvested in April 1985 in 21.98 shares in the CCLA CBF Investment Fund with reinvestment of dividends.

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

The endowment funds (continued):

Mrs Mary Ward:

For keeping the structure and grounds of the Church in good order, with a request (but not a legal obligation) to keep the gravestones of her husband and herself in good order and repair. The capital was invested at that time in 264 shares in the CCLA CBF Investment Fund.

Mr Cundell Blake:

In 1989 gave £1,000 to the Church which was invested in 324 shares in the CCLA CBF Investment Fund.

The interest and dividends received from the investments are used towards the cost of keeping the grass of the churchyard mown and other maintenance expenditure. Dividends reinvested in the Kay fund are left to accumulate Dividends reinvested in the Kay fund are left to accumulate.

The designated funds comprise:

Charitable Giving:

7% of the General Fund Total Offerings was appropriated to the Blessing Others Hub. Chisslands Charity:

Any unspent money at the end of 4th year to be returned to the Chisslands Trust.

Music:

The fund is to support resources to enhance music within our worship.

Fabric:

Expenditure in the Fabric Fund is usually associated with Quinquennial requirements and major building repairs.

Community Outreach Chest

Fund set up during Covid 19 and to help those in need of sanctuary in the Parish.

Rector's Discretionary:

Donations received with a specification to be used at the Rector’s discretion.

Legacy Fund made up of the following legacies

Kiddle Legacy:

The late Dr Josephine Kiddle left St Mary’s Church a 10% residual share of her estate amounting to £57,776.93, to be put towards the upkeep and work of the Church with no conditions applied. In 2022 the fund financed new blocked paving installation in the Churchyard. In 2024 the fund part financed costs of the refurbishment of toilets £10,225 in church rooms and £5,319 was used towards the cost of the Chapel fire doors.

Cooke Legacy

Andrew Cooke bequeathed St Mary’s Church a legacy of £15,000. In 2023 the fund financed an extension of the new blocked paving path in the churchyard to the value of £7,045. In 2024 £7,955 was used from the fund towards the costs of refurbishment of the toilets in the church rooms.

Peers Legacy

The late Alan Peers left a share of his estate amounting to £11,855, to be used by St Mary’s at the discretion of the PCC.

Chisslands Admin Grant

Fund gifted to St Mary's by the Chisslands Trust in 2023 to purchase a laptop and consumables to aid the role of the treasurer.

Cherish Building Project Fund

The fund is for architectural and planning work relating to the Cherish Building Project.

Vergers Cottage:

Per valuation

Chapel:

Per build cost.

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

11 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS For the year ended 31 December 2025 Fixed Assets Current Assets Creditors: falling due within one year Net assets at 31 December 2025 For the year ended 31 December 2024 Fixed Assets Current Assets Creditors: falling due within one year Net assets at 31 December 2024	Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total funds funds funds £ £ £ £ 503,765 - 31,655 535,420 118,190 54,039 - 172,229 (6,035) - - (6,035) 615,921 54,039 31,655 701,614 508,744 - 32,946 541,690 103,907 44,928 - 148,835 (7,892) - - (7,892) 604,759 44,928 32,946 682,633

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

12
Fund Movements Prior Year
Comparative
Restricted funds
Chapel Trust
Restricted Giving
Tuesday's Place
Childrens' Lunch Club
Churchyard Maintenance
Community Sanctuary Chest
Flower Fund
Warm Welcome
Youth Education
Total Restricted funds
Endowment funds
Northbrook Trust
Churchyard
Total Endowment funds
Unrestricted funds
General Fund
Charitable Giving
Music
Fabric
Community Outreach Chest
Rector's Discretionary
Pantry (Kiddie Legacy)
Cooke Legacy
Chisslands Charity Gift
Chisslands Admin Grant
Cherish Building Project RIBA
Vergers Cottage
Chapel
Total Unrestricted funds
Total funds

At 1 January
2024
Income and
Gains
Expenditure
and Losses
Transfers
At 31 December
2024
£
£
£
£
£
424
-
-
-
424
-
174
(174)
-
-
1,395
300
(1,233)
550
1,012
550
-
-
(550)
-
6,449
368
(2,974)
-
3,843
543
-
-
-
543
-
440
(172)
50
318
646
-
(90)
-
556
73,237
-
(9,005)
(26,000)
38,232
83,244 1,282 (13,648) (25,950)
44,928
17,994
457
-
-
18,451
14,190
305
-
-
14,495
32,184 762 - - 32,946
42,997
151,640
(125,717)
7,832
76,752
5,688
-
(5,250)
6,298
6,736
1,126
997
-
-
2,123
6,190
-
(6,190)
-
-
205
-
-
-
205
1,128
200
(458)
-
870
34,414
-
(15,538)
-
18,876
7,955
-
(7,955)
-
-
35,832
2,320
(23,972)
(14,180)
-
1,800
-
(122)
-
1,678
-
-
(23,481)
26,000
2,519
475,000
-
-
-
475,000
20,000
-
-
-
20,000
632,335
155,157 (208,683)
25,950
604,759
747,763
157,201
(222,331)
-
682,633

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST MARY'S, KINGS WORTHY CHARITY NUMBER 1130588

UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

Rector’s Report 2025

Parish of St Mary’s, Kings Worthy

It is with thankfulness that I present this annual report for the year 2025. Last year marked my tenth year with you, and I have loved being your Rector. I often find myself popping into St Mary’s at different times of the week, standing at the back of the nave as sunshine streams through the East Window or through the windows of the Side Chapel. I am always struck by the immense privilege it is to serve the community of St Mary’s and the village of Kings Worthy.

This report reflects on our shared life in 2025 — our worship, governance, mission, and the faithfulness of God among us.

Faithfulness is expressed not only in worship, but also in how we steward responsibility — and this was tested most clearly this year through the diocesan visitation.

The Diocesan Visitation

This is the moment when we demonstrate that we have what we say we have, that we do the things required of us, and that our records and registers are kept accurately. In a society that rightly places a high value on safeguarding practice and process, this has become an especially significant part of the visitation. It also covers many mundane, but essential, matters: whether we maintain a register of key holders, ensure staff have the right to work in the UK, and hold appropriate building evacuation plans. The process is thorough and demanding, as you would expect.

St Mary’s was chosen as one of the first churches in the diocese to be visited again after a long period of absence. Formal visitations ceased during Covid, and this year marked the diocese’s attempt to re-establish standards of good governance, safeguarding, financial oversight, and administration.

We celebrate this achievement with gratitude, mindful that good governance is not an endpoint but an ongoing discipline of faithfulness. We can also be confident that we are well prepared for the next visitation, likely to take place after 2030.

Worship and Faithfulness

Faithfulness in Attendance

In an age when “the busyness of life” is often cited as a reason for absence, I have been deeply encouraged by your commitment. Average weekly attendance has remained steady at between 65 and 75. Sometimes there is no clear reason why numbers rise or fall, a phenomenon I explore further in the Children and Youth report, but we have also welcomed new people into our regular worshipping community. Your faithfulness is not merely a statistic; it is an expression of what truly matters in a secular age.

Music Ministry

Our Hubs: Functional Leadership

Eco and Environmental Hub

Physical Resources

Mission and Ministry

This hub keeps our focus firmly on giving Jesus the highest honour in worship, preaching, and praise. Further detail on its work and our shared discipleship can be found in my separate report.

Blessing Others (Charitable Giving)

Pastoral and Engagement

Children, Youth, and Families

Small Groups and Home Groups

While the Hubs manage the functions of parish life, our Small Groups and Home Groups provide much of our fellowship and pastoral care.

Looking Ahead

In the coming year, I ask you to support this work through prayer, thoughtful engagement, and continued generosity.

A Final Word of Thanks

A Closing Prayer

I invite you to make the following prayer your own.

Lord Jesus,

Grant us a deeper commitment to your Word and to one another. Make us attentive to the work and promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we look toward the changing face of our building,

may our hearts remain fixed on the unchanging beauty of your love.

Strengthen our hands for the work ahead,

soften our hearts toward the stranger at our door,

and may St Mary’s always be a place where your name is known, your people are fed, and your Kingdom is visible. Amen.

Revd Paul Bradish, Rector of Kings Worthy

16/04/2026

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s, Kings Worthy For the year ended 31 December 2025

Treasurer’s Financial Summary 2025

Verger’s Co�age valued at £475,000 in October 2022. Rent received totalled £11,791.

Included with interest received, £6,223 interest retained in the CBF deposit account, which is a significant decrease from 2024 (£10,053).

The valuation of the four endowment policies decreased by £1,291.

£4,250 was distributed by the Blessing Others Hub to local charities.

A sum of £455 was received in the form of a ‘Quick Wins Grant’ from the diocese, which was to be spent on the heating system at the Chapel.

£11,855 was received from the estate of the late Alan Peers to be used by St Mary’s at the discre�on of the PCC.

The Youth Fund

Reserves & Risk Management

Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s, Kings Worthy

For the year ended 31 December 2025

Unrestricted ‘liquid’ reserves at 31 December 2025 and 2026 Costs

	Per month	Subtotals
Parish Share	£ 5,480	£ 5,480
Total U�li�es(Church, Church Rooms & Chapel)		£985
Gas	£300
Electric	£220
Insurance	£210
Water	£185
Tel/Internet	£70
Total Employees including pensions		£3,106
Cleaner	£438
P.A.s	£2,058
Director of Music	£165
Treasurer	£445
Total cost per month		£9,571
3 months’ worth of costs		£28,713
Unrestricted General Fund		£120,920
Excess of reserves over cost		£92,207

On behalf of the Rector and the PCC, I would like to thank you all for the financial support you gave in 2025, from both St Mary’s Church and Chapel. It is all greatly appreciated.

Catherine Saunders

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy for the year ended 31 December 2025

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 5 to 18.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘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:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2006 Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

16/04/2026

CJ GOODHEAD FCA Knight Goodhead Limited Chartered Accountants

7 Bournemouth Road Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh Hampshire SO53 3DA

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2025

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Comparative Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2024

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Balance Sheet for the year ended 31 December 2025

Notes Fixed Assets Land and property 6 Equipment 6 Investments 7 Current Assets Debtors 8 Short Term Deposits Cash at bank and in hand Current Creditors Liabilities due within one year 9 Net Assets Funds Endowment funds 10 Restricted funds 10 Unrestricted funds 10 Total Funds 10	2025 £ £ 495,000 8,765 31,655 535,420 3,210 143,727 25,292 172,229 (6,035) 701,614 31,655 54,039 615,920 701,614	2024 £ £ 495,000 13,744 32,946 541,690 3,132 130,504 15,199 148,835 (7,892) 682,633 32,946 44,928 604,759 682,633

Signed on Behalf of the PCC by

….................................................

Trustee

Date: 16/04/2026

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

1 Accounting Policies

(a) Basis of accounting

(b) Funds

A description of the specific Funds is given in note 10 to the financial statements.

The Unrestricted Funds are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use and are available for application for the general purposes of the PCC.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes.

The Restricted funds comprise funds where money has been given for a particular purpose and where the whole of the money, capital and income, may be applied only for that purpose.

(c) Income

Planned giving receivable under covenant or otherwise, Collections, Gift Aid donations, Grants and Legacies, are accounted for when received.

Funds raised by events (e.g. annual fete) are accounted for gross, with costs stated separately;

Income from parish magazine sales and advertisements Is stated gross, with costs reported separately.

Rental income from the letting of church premises are accounted for when the rental is due.

Dividends and interest are accounted for when receivable.

(d) Gains and losses on investments

Realised gains or losses are accounted for when investments are sold.

Unrealised gains or losses are accounted for on revaluation of investments at 31st December.

(e) Expenditure

Grants for charitable purposes

Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded if that award creates a binding obligation on the PCC.

Charitable activities

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

3 Expenditure

Grants for charitable purposes

Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded if that award creates a binding obligation on the PCC.

Charitable activities

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

4 Staff Costs Charitable activity Wages and Salaries Clergy Expenses 2 Administrators (average 25hrs/week) Upkeep of Services Minister of Music Upkeep of Services Caretaker and Cleaner Assistant staff Youth Worker	2025 2024 £ £ 17,511 13,589 1,915 1,874 5,046 5,008 7,502 8,698 31,974 29,169

Wages and Salaries Pension payments commenced November 2016. Tax and National Insurance contributions have been deducted where applicable.

The average number of staff employed during the year was four. No employee earned over £60,000.

No members of key management personnel were paid on an employed basis during this, or the prior, year. The role of Rector is not paid directly by the church, and the Church Warden is an unpaid post.

5 Related Party Transactions

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

6 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Consecrated land and buildings and movable church furnishings.

Other fixtures, fittings and equipment

St Mary's Chapel/Church Hall building

Verger’s Cottage

COST At beginning of year Additions Disposals At end of year DEPRECIATION At beginning of year Charge for the year On disposals At end of year NET BOOK VALUE At end of year At beginning of year	Land and Buildings £ 495,000 - - 495,000 - - - - 495,000 495,000	Fixtures Office Total and Fittings Equipment Equipment £ £ £ 19,912 6,183 26,095 - - - - - - 19,912 6,183 26,095 6,169 6,183 12,352 4,979 - 4,979 - - - 11,147 6,183 17,330 8,765 - 8,765 13,744 - 13,744

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS
	Units	Value	Gain/(Loss)	2025	2024
		£	£	£	£
CCLA Northbrook Trust	796	22.20	(736)	17,670	18,406
CCLA Sir William Kay	42	22.20	(12)	932	944
CCLA Mary Ward	264	22.20	(244)	5,860	6,104
CCLA Mr Cundell Blake	324	22.20	(300)	7,192	7,492
			(1,291)	31,655	32,946

Included in the Gain/(Loss) of CCLA Sir William Kay is £26 of income which was reinvested during the year.

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

Restricted and endowment funds

Restricted and endowment funds are those funds that must be spent on restricted purposes and the details of the funds held and restrictions are as below.

Unrestricted funds

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

The restricted funds comprise:

Churchyard Maintenance:

Chapel Trust:

Tuesday's Place

Children's Lunch Club

Restricted Giving:

Giving by parishioners for specific nominated purposes, the balance is always zero as the funds are passed on to the nominees in the period.

Youth Education Worker fund:

Community Sanctuary Chest:

Fund set up to help Ukrainian refugees in need of accommodation and necessities, available for people in similar crisis situations in the community.

Warm Welcome

Flower Fund

Give to Go Green Fund

The endowment funds comprise:

Northbrook Trust:

Sir William Algernon Kay:

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

The endowment funds (continued):

Mrs Mary Ward:

Mr Cundell Blake:

In 1989 gave £1,000 to the Church which was invested in 324 shares in the CCLA CBF Investment Fund.

The designated funds comprise:

Charitable Giving:

7% of the General Fund Total Offerings was appropriated to the Blessing Others Hub. Chisslands Charity:

Any unspent money at the end of 4th year to be returned to the Chisslands Trust.

Music:

The fund is to support resources to enhance music within our worship.

Fabric:

Expenditure in the Fabric Fund is usually associated with Quinquennial requirements and major building repairs.

Community Outreach Chest

Fund set up during Covid 19 and to help those in need of sanctuary in the Parish.

Rector's Discretionary:

Donations received with a specification to be used at the Rector’s discretion.

Legacy Fund made up of the following legacies

Kiddle Legacy:

Cooke Legacy

Peers Legacy

The late Alan Peers left a share of his estate amounting to £11,855, to be used by St Mary’s at the discretion of the PCC.

Chisslands Admin Grant

Fund gifted to St Mary's by the Chisslands Trust in 2023 to purchase a laptop and consumables to aid the role of the treasurer.

Cherish Building Project Fund

The fund is for architectural and planning work relating to the Cherish Building Project.

Vergers Cottage:

Per valuation

Chapel:

Per build cost.

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

11 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS For the year ended 31 December 2025 Fixed Assets Current Assets Creditors: falling due within one year Net assets at 31 December 2025 For the year ended 31 December 2024 Fixed Assets Current Assets Creditors: falling due within one year Net assets at 31 December 2024	Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total funds funds funds £ £ £ £ 503,765 - 31,655 535,420 118,190 54,039 - 172,229 (6,035) - - (6,035) 615,921 54,039 31,655 701,614 508,744 - 32,946 541,690 103,907 44,928 - 148,835 (7,892) - - (7,892) 604,759 44,928 32,946 682,633

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary's, Kings Worthy