2023-12-31-accounts - The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of Saint John The Baptist Great Meols

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PARISH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, GREAT MEOLS

Annual report of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) for the year ending

31st December 2023

The principal function of the PCC is “to promote, in the parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social, and ecumenical.” The PCC members are also Trustees, and, therefore, stewards both of the mission and the resources of the Church, ensuring that it is solvent, well-run and delivering its charitable outcomes. In addition, the PCC is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Church Centre.

Centre.
PCC members were:
Vicar	Revd. Canon Gillian Rossiter
Readers	David Moss
	Lesley Young
Churchwardens	Adele Sedgwick
	Martin Hodson
Representatives on	Lesley Young
Deanery Synod	Claire Barnard, Daniel Branch, Eunice Moss
	Sheena Wilson
Pastoral Worker	Chris Branch
	Andy Liston (from October)
	Alex Calvert (from October)
Elected members	Steve Austin (Treasurer)
	Gill Childs
	Rowan Connell
	Sue Dutton (Secretary)
	Jean Hodgson
	Hazel Moon
	Clare O’Connell
	Steve Symes (Assistant Treasurer)

The PCC met on six occasions in 2023, only once having to resort to a virtual meeting while the Standing Committee met together on five occasions.

Although all coronavirus guidance had eased we continued to air on the side of caution due to the increasing numbers of covid and flu. The PCC monitored this decision throughout the year and from May it was agreed that masks were no longer

required, and the chalice was reintroduced for dipping of wafers. We continue to offer hand gel before communion and have not yet reinstated the use of the shared chalice.

The finances of the church are a constant worry especially this year with increased costs of energy and the work we are about to start on the East Wall. Our Parish Share increases annually, this year being more than £87,600. It is always hoped that Planned Giving will provide the resources to cover this as any shortfall means dipping into our reserves. Despite the ever-increasing costs of energy and the ongoing running of the church, St John’s is probably in a better financial position than many churches and we are thankful for the incredibly support we receive from so many people not just our church members, but also the wider community.

St John’s continues to grow as the heart of the local community, together with links with the neighbouring churches of St Catherine’s, St Andrew’s, and St Hildeburgh’s and of course St Chad’s in Leasowe.

Members of the local community who are not members of our church community have continued to help with the making and delivering of soup and sandwiches to the housebound, joined in church activities, donated, and washed and ironed clothes for the Swop Shop at St Chads, donated pyjamas at Christmas, together with financial contributions to the causes we support. We are extremely thankful for all this support.

All our volunteers were invited to our Coronation lunch in May, a perfect example of ‘Everyday Faith’ being extended beyond our church into the community, and everyone enjoyed being in the fellowship of the church.

Links with Great Meol’s Primary have also continued, and the children have enjoyed Easter and Christmas Experiences organised by our church volunteers together with Harvest Festival and Christmas Concerts organised by school in church. They joined with the Community Choir in October for their annual concert raising £600 for the Air Ambulance. Pupils who are School Ambassadors have visited to see how we organise our Soup& Sandwich deliveries and will be coming back again to actually pack the bags and deliver them.

Children have also enjoyed an evening of Pancake Fun on Shrove Tuesday, a Childrens Coronation Event, Messy Church, a week-long Holiday Club, and a Youth weekend, sleeping over in the church.

Numbers attending our Monday Café and Young at Heart group continue to increase both offering food, friendship and a ’Warm Space’. The Café has hosted several special events including a fund-raising Cake Sale, and a ‘Vision’ Café to share ideas on what we can do to engage more people with the church. The Men’s Breakfast was re-introduced in September and the ladies held a Curry Night

The Meol’s Community Choir performed a very moving Passion play on Palm Sunday and St Hildeburgh’s hosted the Lent Lunches this year, while at St John’s we had an Easter Labyrinth: Journey to Jerusalem.

Meetings with the architect and stone mason in March 2022 defined exactly what repair work was needed to the East wall but unfortunately gaining approval took so long that the PCC decided to postpone the work till Spring 2023. Steve Gee took over the overseeing of this project. By the time the formal contract had been agreed and signed the work eventually started in June. On the plus side this gave us more time to fund raise, however, it also meant an increase in cost as building materials continue to soar

Our thanks to Steve Gee for monitoring this project and to Steve Symes for overseeing all the other repairs and maintenance of the fabric of the church including the upgrading of our Router and Network in church which enabled us to introduce a Card Reader for on-line payments.

Fund raising events to pay for the wall dominated the year including a Patronal Takeaway Tea, a Parish Barbecue in July, a Jigsaw Sale, Buy a Brick, and Martin and Natalie’s sponsored walk. 37 miles round perimeter of the Wirral peninsular, a staggering 77,748 steps, all in one day! They were joined on the day by Rowan (dressed as the Church Wall), Sarah and the O’Connell family and more than £2,300 was raised by them all.

Other fundraising has continued and throughout the year we have been able to support Tanzanian Church (£600), SAT-7 (£600), the Bible Society (£500)) and Childrens Society (£600). Carols on the Green raised £250 for MIND, £600 was raised for the Air Ambulance, £1,485 for KIDS CONNECT and £300 towards the earthquake appeal.

At our APCM in May Tim Smith stepped down as Church Warden and we welcomed Martin Hodgson to succeed him and to support Adele. Tim was thanked for his hard work and dealing with the ever-changing rules of Covid to keep us all safe within the church environment. In June we said goodbye to our curate Reverend Francis as she completed her training and moved on to pastures new. Then in October we were pleased to welcome both Andy Liston and Alex Calvert to our Pastoral team and celebrated their licensing with a Bring and Share lunch.

2023 continued to provide challenges for everybody at St John’s but it is thanks to Rev Gillian’s leadership, with the support of the Ministry team, the Wardens, Adele and Martin, the PCC, and the army of ready volunteers that we continue to strengthen our church community at St John’s and its impact on our wider community by being a ‘Place of Welcome’ and sanctuary.

You can keep up to date with all that goes on at St John’s at the website www.stjohnsmeols.co.uk

Sue Dutton

P•Jv 1 PARISH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST. GREAT MEOLS TREASURER'S REPORT FOR YEAR END XCOUNTS TO 31 DECEMBER 2023 Ple88& find my report Llow as folbs'. R•c04 and er811 panents exceeded reGFts by £49,617 for all fvnds. As 5urnm8ri58d below this 8ros8 mainty du8 lo the fding sbortldl Eastwall. and 8Xtemal storage yepairs.ané the Parish sha GOSI. See pages Ihe Receipts and PayrTwis Accounts pages ore to lh fwthe details. M#ln hiohllghts- It is ob¥iousty conceming that ¢)verall payments exceeded recwpts by f49.617 for all fijnds . To redu¢& Ihis defiGrt it ill need continued effcfls lo incTra88 income, eg nmIs1n9 r4ann8d and ftjnd raing 8v81ts elc. To rereat Jast years report, th• bas'c source of Inwme of o)lle¢tiCS. planned giwing and Gift "d not Ver tyjr Parish Share.For ts¥s reason nIInue to x¥jrdgfr Parishi(8r5 to loin th8 pknn giwng 5drne and ctrilts a8 nwjth as they . 2023 r¢¢elpts cc¢nts 1 The majv variance being the datrOnS r8CaV8d towards Ihe East Wall repairs. See bek)w 2 Voluntary incorne was do du8 partty to a smaller legacy and Planneij I sa8 atx)V81. 3 Hall letting was up paY 4Jue in(ye8sed rates and acts. . 4 Investment incorne was up L¥12022 with Mrx8ased interest rale6. 5 Income from Church aCeS dropped 2023 ith feAtrwEddis and fUrnIs in 2023 6 Other incorne resources is bss dsje to tho Orning of holiday d8Pk75its c[ed to 20L. East Wall repalrn and •xlernal storage •XpendIr all fvnds . Expenditure here exceeded dats"Cns and grant receNed by £18,447: East Ext¢mal Wall •trye Totsl 35,665 7.010 42,675 S3.973 7.149 61.122 -18.308 -139 8.447 Totsl 4Yonal"rn$ and grant all frjnds Total expendtlure al funds Shortrall The shortfalL8 4th1n th• rngtriL#thJ funds have b8en by a transf8rfrom the vnresth(tsd fijnd. Pw pag8 1 of the ArLounts. 2023 oth•r major pasynonts 1 Parish Share in¢reaseé in the yew by 3% Its £87.646 2 Total running C Incre85e by 63% to £13.119 Running costs hea.ng, lighting. insuCe. water etc in(eased due to irtlabon heay demands for heatsng dusing the year. 3 IQIGhen G05ts havo increased lo £4.962 ilh rnorg acbbity.

PARISH ST JI)HN THE BAPTIST, GREAT MEOLS TrEASURER'S REPORT FOR YEAR END ACCOUls TO 31 DECEMBER 2023 Page 2 Balance 1 Inveslmont - COIF Legacy Reserve Current market Value 2023 £98,04712022 £87.2531 an increase of £10.794. 2 Bank d•posSts 2023 £52.459 12022 £96.3621 The bank account bance and depo dmaswj by £43,9)3. See above net payrnents £49,430. Net wthdrawa15 frorn the St John¥ depcAt aco)unt iotalknj £42.(1)O transferr1 lo Bardays Bank aront to help fiwJ Ihe payrnents. 3 Debtors Girt Aid re1vable from HKIRC 2023 £1.101 12022 £6.9(MII. The Gift Aid clairn lorthe final p8ricrfl 10 31 Deber2023 tre1.101 was re¢j Én Jwu8ry 2024. 4 Credltoys 2022 Deferred inco regarding the East W81 repairs and extem siNa9e £22.695 has now b8 Ir8nsf8rred frcffi Unreslwicled Fund to the respecuve Re5knded fund5. See page one. S Keightby Twst inv86tm& market vabje 2023 £155.11 12022 £142,023). incTea58d by £13.47B compared to 2022. Note 3a to the accounts. Accounts approval and thanks I wish to offer the gtsounts for 2023 to th8 m8ellng lorthelr •rTJr¢)val. 18150 %bish to Ih8nk Rthrt Srnith FCA and e¥wrffje in the PCC 7kn have hB1 me during thB year. S Austsn

PARISH OF ST JOHN THE wn5T. lalEAT IIEOLS Chartty number 113062 RECEIPTS Al PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR ThE )ER END 31 DECEIABER 2023 Sg¢Uon A Recel and fvnd fvnd fund vnrosl1lc Kd#hlky East Wall Extemal fvnds 2025 Total funds 2022 Totsl fund• Re¢el Voluntary In¢ome Actlvltles for g•nerating fun Income frtyn Investm•nts Inc¢)me from Church acllt•ltl•• Other Income resources Tot 68,125 36,934 3.171 3.793 3,124 115.147 1.935 13.680 70,060 71242 50,614 27.807 8,318 3,793 6,501 3.124 7.110 135 909 118.504 5.147 &147 15.615 InveMe11t d4SPD¥al¥ Totsi rncelpts 0 25.C#)O 1&5.9)9 143,604 1 f5.147 5.147 15,615 nts Church a¢tl¥ilies Total 133.818 41,373 7,149 185.526 126,653 ents D•f•rrpd l#comq 2022 ¢avrf•dfornard to 2023 TrnnBter8 between fund¥ Ca•h lund5 last ar ond ash fvn(ts thls -18.671 -14,4 -18,447 83.047 31.469 -25,758 7.4j 1&308 -7.149 7.010 139 49.617 17.951 0 22.695 19.029 20.990 102.076 61,430 52.459 102.076 seon B St•t•mrt of •¥%ts and liabllttfj•s at 31 D•c•mbor 2023 fund lund fvnd Unr•8lrf¢tod Keight East Wall Ext¢rnal Total lund¥ Tru Rer# Jtorag• funds 2022 Ca6h funds CBF Depo$M Funds Bank curroni a¢Gourrt and ca•h 17.513 2q990 ¥503 79.518 13.956 16.844 52.459 96.362 31,469 2990 Debtots 1,101 Invutment a8••ts C¢LA Legacy Resar¥ CUVT•rtvalu• 98.047 98.047 87,253 Liabllltl•s Accruals Deferred In¢om• .1.186 0 -22,695 0 -23.881 Signed on behall of all the Tru5tg Rgvorend Gllllan R05511er IPCC ¢h•wnwnl

sr JOHN THE wnsT GREAT MEOLS Charlty 112062 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAq END 31 DECEMBER 2023 Pagé 2 20tJ 2023 2023 2022 fund nd fund Unrn8tricted KeightlÈy East Wall External fund Trust R gttsrage Total Total 1 R•¢elpts Voluntsry Incolne G•neral collectloM 0 plat• Planned glNlng Onvelopes Planned 919 stsndlng ordws Glft LtyaGI85 2,918 2,918 2.920 48.445 13.777 2.000 70.060 2,647 50,151 11,810 11.842 1.935 68.125 1,935 72,242 Adiwities for generating fund• Church Hall letllng Donatlons. ¢afé,and fvnds Falsgd pald ovw to ¥arfou¥ Gharttle8 M page 3 D¢)natlons East Wall de8lgnai8d fund &122 5.122 27.447 13.680 41.127 4,365 23,507 13.680 50.614 27.807 Dep11 interest Depo¢ aC¢t Iln¥tlment In¢ome 3.171 3,171 5.147 8,318 478 4,466 5.147 5.147 3,171 I>M&frOM Church actl4I1 Weddlng¥ and fvneTrls 3.793 6,501 other income resourc•8 Church hollday deposlts r•c•l¥ BwclaJT ltyb0nus 115 3.124 115 3.124 110 7,110 Total receipts 115.147 5,147 1S,615 0 135,909 118.604

STJOHN THE BAPTISTGREAT MEOL$ RECEIPTS PAYIIEKfs COUNT8 F(MIHE IEAR EMO 31 DECEMBER 2023 Chwlty numbw 113062 Pag• 3 2 Pa5fjnFnts 2023 2023 2023 2023 2022 lund lund fuTrd l1nre5t Kelghtley East Wall External Total lunds Repairs Total Chh a¢tfjvhlo8 Alls$lonaryand tharlfabh gmng Tanuni4n rhurGb Home.. Biblè sodety AlrArnbulan SAT MIND Ukvaine Klds Konnect Chlldven's SoGiety Earthquake app•al 250 2.625 1.250 4.935 5.948 Pathh Rhar• East WaH ropalts and •At•m41 stry• East Wall ropalrs tlo81gnat8d Church Funning costs. inBur3nc•, pow•r.T Church maintenance and repairs W•ddlng¥ &funernl f•es to Ch88tsr DeF siaff costs otyanisl Vl¢arfs expens• Kelghtley Trust expenses tchen and souplBanthhlchM •xpwM•% Printlng & •tationory Upkeep of 8ets Trolnkng ¥nd Bank charyes Sum up Sundvles chh holday hoiel d•po•tt pad Pr•swts And dw4dons Totsl PaThI 87.646 85,093 7.149 48.522 12.600 13.119 41.m 12.6 13.119 3.728 2.166 3,556 1,670 2.166 225 3.188 2.543 4,%2 2,802 1.347 1.372 427 3.1B6 1.347 7M 744 24 1,741 2A32 1.200 7,215 302 178 7 145 185 528 125 5&3 619 1.741 133818 3 Funds a K£hPY Tvust: Rostrkctsd The KeightY TNSI Fund rEpTr$t& inLLvne frL¥n CBF knvestmerrtFmd hdd by Chester 0¢&$an Bosrd of Fmanca market valug of£155.501 1£142.orJ a& at 31112120221. The raixlal ITrv8&kneTrt Is rntthErth lnLknJ1 thBse acrAJunts. The Incfne Irrm the fvnd to be EduralirThl and wrp(e8 the Prtf. b EaBt Wall rnpzir .'dal9n•i fund thbkn th• fund Cwprises Dmations rerrived 12.6Tr) Exwndftura 8lcAled 12 8alanc8 ai 31112123 b E•8tWall T•Ir •xl•rnal slryag•". T•Strtct•d fvnd• East Wau E)twna Toia 23,& 7.010 41373 7,149 18.> le.& 1.075 ere 5horfll drepts Unde%gnthi BalinE• •t31MZttJ 18.471 18.4TT 139

Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Report to the trustees of Parish of St John The Baptist. Great Mools On accounts for the year ondod 31 DKember 2023 Charlty no 113062 Set out on pages One to Flve Respective The chanty's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the a[rts. responsibilitias of The charily's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year trustaes and e" under section 144 of the Chafities Act 2011 (the Chanties Act) and that an +xaminer independent examination is needed. It is my responsibilty to: examine the auntS under section 145 of the Charities Act, to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission {under section 145{5)(b) of the Charriies Act, and to slate whether particular matter5 have o)me to my attention. Basls of independent My examination was carrÉed (xrt in accordance with general Directions given examlnerfs statsment by the Chanty Commission. An examination indudes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented wtth those records. It also indudes consideration of any unusual items or disdosures in the COUnts, and seeking explanations from the trustees conceming any such matters. The prccedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a Irue and fairf wew and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement beli. Independent In connection with my examination, rN) matter has me to my attention examiner's statement 1. which gives me reasonab cause to believe that in, any materi81 resFe¢t, the requirements: to keep accounb.ng rrdS in accordan with section 130 of the Charities Act,. and to prepare accounts which actsjrd with the accounting records and comply with the )Unting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met., or 2. to which, in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understsnding of the xcounts to be reached. Name: Robert Smlth FCA